When Will My Life Begin?
by BlackRoseDragonCK
Summary: YGO rewrite of Tangled. Tea is a young woman who longs for adventure. Yami is a young man whose life is nothing but adventure. What will happen when these two meet...and experience life for the first time? YamixTea, BakuraxOC, disclaimers inside.
1. Mundane Life

**I DO NOT OWN YUGIOH BY KAZUKI TAKAHASHI OR DISNEY'S TANGLED DIRECTED BY NATHAN GRENO, BYRON HOWARD, PRODUCED BY ROY CONLI, JOHN LASSETER, GLEN KEANE**

**Hiya everybody ^_^! It's been awhile since I've done one of these XD. I am not going to include the songs because I'm going to add a lot more depth to this story as compared to the original movie. The beginning and end of this are going to be different than they were in the movie because I don't think I'm going to do Tangled 2 (they'll be different as far as having an epilogue and prologue :). As per usual, here is the cast ^_^:**

**CAST**

**Tea: Rapunzel**

**Yami: Flynn Ryder (His role runs a lot deeper than Flynn's does in Tangled :).**

**Kuriboh: Pascal**

**Yami Bakura: Maximus (He's not a horse in this, he just fills in the role and I will be pairing him with an OC in this)**

**Mother Gothel: Chono (the makeup woman from the manga/season 0. Originally, she was going to be Vivian, but I wanted to use someone different ^_^.)**

**Tea's father/mother: OC's**

**I can't remember the other various characters at the moment, but they will be cast when I get to them ^_^. The kingdom is a land of my own creation called Riazlora. It is a combination of two names meaning "Garden" and "Light."**

**There are a few things that will be different in this, but I won't spoil it for ya ^_^. One thing I will say in order to prevent confusion is that Tea's hair is brown all the time but it glows when she uses its power. Also, she dances instead of sings to unlock the power. Some scenes will be different because of this :). **

**Alrighty, so with all that said, I've tried to follow the movie closely but some thing may be changed, added, or omitted. **

**X**

_It was beautiful in the kingdom of Riazlora. Simple as the statement might be, there was no other way to describe it. The afternoon sky was a clear blue dotted by a few fluffy clouds. Sunlight streamed down, washing over the grass below and making it seem like a sea of green, interrupted only by colorful bursts of fragrant flowers. Humble, cozy cottages stood clustered in the distance, their tan walls looking plain yet warmly welcoming. In truth, there was nothing truly amazing about them…yet the people would have them built no other way._

_ A cool breeze danced in through the open balcony doors and Yami closed his ruby eyes in pleasure. He loved that feeling…the sensation of the hot sun on his pale face…followed by the frigid breeze. Two opposite pleasures…the best of both worlds…just as he had experienced throughout these wonderful years. He'd had the thrill of adventure with a healthy sting of hardships…and the wondrous peace of settling down, all in one lifetime._

_ A smile twisted Yami's lips as he thought back on everything that had happened in his life. He truly was a blessed man…one who had fought daring battles…narrowly escaped the jaws of death…and settled into the gentle embrace of love in a single odyssey. Well…perhaps not a SINGLE odyssey…but any other adventure he'd had paled in comparison to the one on which he reminisced._

_ "Daddy!" a young voice called out, shaking Yami from his thoughts._

_ His smile widened into a grin at the familiar word and he turned to look back at his chamber. The room was truly luxurious. The walls and ceiling were a sparkling cream stone, held up by elegantly-chiseled marble pillars. Sunlight streamed in through the windows, making everything seem even more clean and decadent. A mirrored vanity rested at the far wall as well as a dark dresser. While all these details made the adventurous man feel exceedingly lucky every day of his life…they had nothing to do with the reason for his smile at the moment….rather his loving grin was directed toward the dear creature skipping toward him._

_ It was his daughter, Liora. Dressed in a light pink dress that was just short enough to allow her easy movement, the six-year-old girl's pixie-like feet danced gracefully across the marble floor. She had inherited most of her looks from him. Her skin was pale, her hair red, blonde, and black. Those blonde bangs adorably framed her little face while the unruly red and black locks, reaching partway down her back, bounced whenever she ran. _

_ Yami scooped his child into his arms, emitting a low chuckle as her bell-like laugh filled his ears. She pulled back to look at him and he leaned his forehead against hers. Indeed, Liora was his spitting image…however her eyes were quite the contrast to his ruby orbs. Hers were a light azure that sparkled whenever she smiled. Those eyes…she had gotten from the woman entering the room as Yami looked up._

_ His wife smiled, her slipper-graced feet making no sound as she stepped across the floor. Her slender form was clothed in a long-sleeved, light blue dress that flowed like water around her legs. Her short chocolate hair hung free and her sapphire eyes that mirrored their daughter's sparkled accordingly._

_ Yami's heart swelled with boundless affection and he walked toward the young woman. Juggling his daughter to one side, he slid a free arm around his wife's waist and pulled her close, embracing both the women who completed his existence. He truly did not know what he had done before they came into his lonely life._

_ His face must have shown these somber thoughts because his wife laughed, brushing the golden bangs from his eyes. "Your expression grew so serious just then!" she exclaimed with a playful smile. "It reminded me of when we were teenagers!"_

_ Yami's lips twisted with his trademark smirk. "Fitting…that is exactly what I was thinking about."_

_ "Daddy!" Liora cried, lightly tapping on his chest with her tiny fingers. He turned to look at her and her eyes widened with the anticipation of whatever she was about to ask. "Will…will you tell me another story about the young Pharaoh and his friends?"_

_ A smile lit up the father's face and he planted a kiss on his little girl's forehead. "I must have told you all of his adventures by now…."_

_ He was teasing…and it had the exact effect that always made his heart swell with affection. Liora's eyes grew wide and sparkled with pleading and excitement. _

_ "Pleaaaaaaaaaase!" she begged, practically bouncing up and down in his arms._

_ Yami laughed aloud and glanced at his wife. She met his eyes, nodded, and they both beamed knowingly. _

_ "Well…" the woman began, her azure eyes glittering excitedly. "…there is ONE story your father hasn't told you…"_

_ "Yes…" the man grinned. "And this one…includes the Pharaoh's greatest adventure of them all. Are you SURE you would like to hear it?"_

_ Liora's face shone with wonder and ecstasy. She squirmed impatiently as Yami sat down on the bed, placing her on his lap and her mother next to him._

_ "Please tell me! I really wanna hear the Pharaoh's story!"_

_ Yami grinned and he held up a finger. "Ahhh…but you see…this isn't the PHARAOH'S story…_

_ Confusion was plain on the little girl's face and that only made her father's smile widen. "It is still a fun story. It's about a girl…a girl named Tea. And it starts…with a simple flower. It was a golden flower, its beauty matched only by the mystery that surrounded it. No one knew from where it came…however they did know its power. It had the ability to heal the sick and injured. Its power could be activated by performing a graceful dance that only a few individuals knew. Everyone was awed by its amazing abilities…especially the old woman who discovered it. It was a hag known as Chono, who hoarded the flower in her garden, using its power to remain young for several millennia."_

_ Liora's eyes were wide with wonder as Yami continued._

_ "Well…it just so happened that the kingdom in which the old hag lived, Riazlora…was celebrating. They rejoiced because their queen was getting ready to have a baby. Unfortunately…when it came time for the baby to be born…she became very ill…and the only way she could ever hope to recover was by using the golden flower._

_ The king sent his bravest warriors into the cover of night and they were able to steal the flower right out of Chono's garden. They brought it to the queen, boiled it into a special, medical tea, and gave it to her to drink. She recovered…and gave birth to a healthy baby girl with flowing chocolate hair. They named her Tea."_

_ Liora glanced at her mother, face aglow with surprise. The woman smiled, gently poked the little girl's adorable nose, and nodded at her husband to proceed. _

_ "The entire kingdom was thrilled at their princess's birth and they released a beautiful glowing lantern to honor it. For that one moment, everything seemed perfect…but that moment…soon ended.…._

_For when the witch discovered her flower was gone, she journeyed to the castle in the cloak of night to recover it. Chono was dismayed to find that the queen had consumed her beloved flower…but intrigued upon realizing that the object's power now flowed throughout princess Tea. As the baby slept, Chono performed the dance to activate the energy…and Tea's hair began to glow with power. The witch snipped a lock of hair…and it fell limp, losing all of its power. You see…the magic lived within the princess…and if her hair was separated from her body…it would become nothing more than simple hair. Therefore…the hag had no other alternative._

_That night she stole the child away from the castle and locked her in a tower way out in the Riazlorian Woods. Chono raised Tea as her own child, never cutting her hair or allowing her to leave the tower. She told the girl that the outside world was dangerous…and though Tea was terribly curious about the beauty beyond her tower window…she obeyed the woman whom she believed was her mother._

_Meanwhile, the king and queen searched for months…even years on end…but they could not find their baby girl. Every year, on Tea's birthday, they released millions of glowing lanterns into the night sky in hopes that the lost princess would find her way home…."_

_Yami's voice trailed off, his crimson eyes growing distant. His daughter waited for him to go on…and when he did not, she bounced up and down with eager impatience. "Well? Did she find her way home?"_

_Her father looked at her for a long moment…then up at his wife. An enigmatic smile slowly twisted his lips._

"_That…my dear girl…is where the REAL story begins…."_

X

"Oh Kuriboh, where are you….?" Seventeen-year-old Tea grinned playfully as she crept around her tower home. Her powder-blue dress rustled gently as she moved but her bare feet made no sound on the cool tile floor. She tiptoed catlike, azure eyes examining every nook and cranny. The girl had long-since memorized every feature of her simple home...her companion stood no chance in a game of hide and seek against her.

Even so, Tea had more than enough time to kill…so she drank in every detail. The burgundy floors…the brightly colored walls that were once tan…now covered in her wild, expressive paint strokes…the high ceilings crisscrossed with wooden beams that she often rested upon just for a change…the various hooks on the walls around which she swung her long, long, LONG brown hair and hauled herself up to those beams….the simple, clean kitchen…the lone door beneath the curling, dark wood staircase that led to her mother's room…the platform at the top of the stairs leading into her room…and of course…the wall of mirrors adjacent to the single window. That was one of her favorite spots…the place where she practiced her much loved occupation of dancing.

In spite of her adoration for the graceful activity…that wall was only ONE OF Tea's favorite nooks. Her unconditionally treasured area of this plain, boring tower…was the window. Though it seemed like a rather cruel gift at times…she could not imagine life without that window. It was her only glimpse into the wide, mysterious, beautiful…and according to Mother Chono…dangerous world beyond.

Tea sighed softly and pushed a strand of that lengthy hair away from her face. She refused to complain…to be bitter about her restrictions. Mother had to have a good reason for keeping her cooped up in this mundane place…even if she didn't understand it…

Still, the girl had been doing a lot of thinking lately. Her eighteenth birthday was fast approaching…and the one thing she desired involved a visit to that perilous world of her dreams. But…it was her eighteenth birthday! Surely Mother Chono would not be THAT strict…after all, Tea had convinced her to cut some of that ridiculously long hair into attractive bangs that rested against her forehead, something that had taken ages but had succeeded…perhaps she could ply the woman's mind on this subject as well.

Creeping noiselessly over to the window, Tea grasped the iron handles…and flung it open.

"Ha!" she cried and couldn't help but beam as the warm sunlight hit her porcelain face. It was so beautiful out there…the miles of lush, green foliage… the sweet chirp of birds riding on the cool breeze…the gentle gurgling of rivers…the vast blue sky…and the faint stony structures of civilization way off in the distance.

"How could something so wondrous be dangerous?" she often wondered…it just…did not feel right.

"Hmmm…" Tea tapped her chin exaggeratedly, her eyes flicking slyly to the fuzzy shape hiding behind a potted plant on the window sill. "Well…I guess Kuriboh isn't hiding out here…"

A quiet, squeaky laugh reached the girl's ears and she grinned, deftly wrapping her long hair around a hook near the window. She then swung the lock hanging down from the hook and it wrapped ropelike around the green, stumpy leg of Kuriboh. She pulled on the hair on her side of the hook and it hauled the brown fuzz ball into the air, suspending his giggling form upside down.

"Gotcha!" Tea laughed triumphantly and gently set her friend on his feet. Kuriboh was a floating ball of brown fur with large, adorable eyes and tiny green appendages. He had been her loyal companion for countless years, never leaving her side, no matter how boring things became.

"All right…" the brunette unwound her hair from the hook and placed her hands on her hips. "That's twenty-two for me….how about twenty-three out of forty-five?"

Kuriboh gave her a deadpan look and squeaked in annoyance.

"Okay, well what do YOU want to do?"

His eyes lit up and he pointed to the ground below with a clawed paw. Tea sighed wearily, then brightened reflexively. Kuriboh had always sensed her desire to see the outside world….no matter how hard she tried to disguise it.

"I don't think so…" Tea shook a scolding finger and smiled. "I like it in here and so do you."

The fuzz ball blew a raspberry and she laughed. "Oh come on, Kuriboh, it's not so bad in here…."

The girl glanced at the pleasantly old-looking clock on the wall and bit her lip. It was only seven thirty in the morning…she and Kuriboh had passed a mere fifteen minutes since she rose.

"All right then!" Tea announced, unable to disguise the breathy lack of eagerness in her voice. "Let's start on the chores!"

She fetched the broom from a small supply closet and began striking its stiff bristles across the floor. The dust swirled up in brown clouds around the girl's feet, making her cough. Kuriboh, who was holding the dustpan, tried to leap out of the way…but it was too late. The dust wafted over him and clung to his already brown fur. The little creature sneezed cutely, making Tea laugh.

"Haha! Sorry, Kuriboh…it looks like I'll have to give you a bath now."

The creature squeaked in protest and tried to bounce away…but the girl grabbed him before he could do so. She began filling a wooden basin with soap and water, wrapping her hair around Kuriboh to keep him from escaping.

"Oh, relax, fuzzy…" she teased. "You've needed one for days now…and it's not like we have much anything else to do."

Once the basin was filled and overflowing with bubbles, Tea tossed a squealing Kuriboh into the water and lassoed a scrubber with her useful rope of hair. She began scrubbing the dirt from his fur, laughing as he squirmed and did his best to leap from the tub.

"Calm down, Kuriboh, you know you'll feel better afterward…" the brunette giggled as she pulled the dripping fuzz ball from the water. She placed him on the counter and began scrubbing him down with a fluffy towel. When she was finished…his hair was so fluffy that she could barely make out his features.

"Hehe…sorry, Kuriboh…" she lamented with a giggle.

Kuriboh gave her a deadpan look as he hopped off the counter, but soon squeaked and nuzzled against her ankles affectionately. Tea patted his head and glanced up at the clock.

"Eight o'clock…" she murmured exasperatedly. "Well…it's a start…."

Tea and Kuriboh then proceeded to do any spontaneous activity that came to mind. They polished, scrubbed, baked, read, sewed, made pottery, sketched…and by the time all those tasks were complete, it was ten o'clock. The brunette glared at the clock as if it were cursed, then shrugged and smiled. She knew at least ONE activity that would take her mind off of things…

Tossing a quick wink to Kuriboh, Tea bounded over to the wall of mirrors and spread her arms out to either side. She glanced back at her furry friend, who was squealing encouragingly….and began to dance. Her feet moved with the swiftness of wind…and the liquidity of water….and as she moved, her thrill-hungry mind was taken far away from the humdrum place. She imagined herself…dancing over the soft grass below…running through the sweet-smelling flowers…turning her azure eyes to the sky above.

At one point, the girl became so lost…that she forgot to steer clear of her lengthy tresses and consequently became wound up in them. With a squeal, she fell to the ground, cushioned by the very substance which ensnared her. Kuriboh bounced over, squeaking fearfully. Tea groaned in annoyance…but couldn't help but laugh. Now she would have another time-consuming task to complete…thanks to the newfound tangles.

The girl retrieved her brush from a nearby table and began the arduous task of running it through her many yards of silky hair. The locks glistened and shone in the sunlight, smelling faintly of the peach-flavored shampoo she used. She hummed softly as she brushed, closing her thickly-lashed sapphire eyes and letting the sunlight wash over her body. Truly, Tea was a beautiful young woman…but she never really thought much of it, despite the copious amounts of free time she had for thinking.

With her hair freshly combed, the brunette opened her eyes and glanced up at the walls. She scanned over the paint-covered tan, searching hopefully for a blank space….and finally, she spotted one. Grinning, the brunette leapt to her feet and ran over to a simple wooden chest that rested near the window. She threw it open, exposing the colorful paint supplies within. In spite of her unexciting situation…the sight of the metal tins filled with bright liquid and the well-used brushes always sent a jolt of thrill through her.

Grabbing dark blues, purples, black and gold paint, the girl swung her hair over one of the rafter hooks and hauled herself up to the blank spot on the wall. Kuriboh watched her intently from the ground, his large eyes wide with curiosity.

Fingers shaking with eagerness, Tea dipped her brush into the dark blue paint and spread it all over the wall with wide, passionate strokes. She darkened some areas with deep black and lightened others with a pleasant purple. Then…she retrieved her can of gold paint…and began dotting the navy sky she'd formed with the luminous color. When the painting was complete…she was staring at a skillfully accurate representation of the sky on her birthday…of her birthday wish.

The girl's hands began to shake again…but not with eagerness. She sighed sadly and slowly lowered herself onto the tile floor…the plain…familiar…cold tile floor that did not feel half as inviting as the lush grass below looked. She placed her painting supplies back into their chest and closed it. The latch clicked loudly in the silent tower, the sound reverberating off the hard, stone walls. Oh, how she longed to be out of this lonely place…she longed for adventure and new things…and freedom.

Hanging her head, Tea padded over to the window and rested her elbows on it, gazing up at the infinite sea of blue above her. Kuriboh hopped onto the window sill and squeaked, nudging her with concern. The girl smiled and patted his head…but resumed her pensive stare at the beautiful world…the world that she was not allowed to enter.

"Tonight…those lanterns will rise into the sky…just as they do every year on my birthday…" she murmured and glanced back at her portrait of that very sight. As she turned back to the window…Tea's eyes landed on the wall of mirrors a few yards away. She froze…and studied the reflection that stared back at her.

She was a young woman now…her slender, curvaceous form clothed in a long-sleeved sky-colored dress that flowed gracefully around her dancer's legs. That long, chocolate hair tumbled around her, looking every bit as silky smooth as water. Her azure eyes were calm but bright with intelligence, a potentially fiery attitude… and a hunger for adventure.

A new hope kindled within the blue-eyed beauty's heart…and she slowly turned back to look at a perplexed Kuriboh.

"I'm older now…" Tea murmured, pulling her little friend close and gazing back at the vast kingdom beyond. "So maybe…just maybe…she'll finally let me go."

**There we have chapter one ^_^. I hope you liked and please review! Please no flames. The next chapter will be Yami's XD. I may not be able to update every day, but I will do my best to be vigilant :). Also, expect Yami Bakura to be paired with an OC in this ^_^.**

**I DO NOT OWN YUGIOH OR TANGLED**


	2. Thieves and Birthday Wishes

**I DO NOT OWN YUGIOH OR TANGLED**

**Here's chapter two ^_^! Sorry about the wait, weather difficulties put me behind on updating XD. I got confused and forgot about the Mother Knows Best scene, so there will be more of Tea than I originally thought in this chapter XD.**

**Aqua girl 007: Thanks ^_^! It is a pretty good movie :). Yup, Tangled Ever After is coming out at some point.**

**Sunrise Phoenix: Thank you :)! Hahaha, I needed something to fill in that chunk of time with Rapunzel singing so I decided to give Kuriboh a bath XD.**

**Sailorblaze: XD So do I. Marik will probably appear as an extra character later :).**

**Dany14-black8: Gracias!**

** The Real Contestshipping Princess: thank you ^_^! Haha, Kuriboh's everybody's cutie XD. Bakura's going to have quite the different role in this story. Haha, yeah I needed to find a way to have Yami telling the back story like Flynn did so I decided to do a present scene with Yami and his family :).**

**Vampiressbeauty20: Thanks ^_^! Haha, I hate Chono too…I can't decide who I despise more, Chono or Vivian XD.**

**MutantEnemy101: Thanks ^_^! Haha, yeah there is actually a reason why I'm pairing him with an OC…;). I have a few ideas about the cave/water thing….**

**Darky2510: Thank you ^_^! YamixTea is my FAVORITE pairing :). Yeah, I don't get it either…**

**Coka Cookie Cola: I've only seen it like…one and a half times so I was a bit nervous when I started XD. **

**Axalover11: Thanks ^_^!**

**X**

There was something thrilling…yet terrifying about being up so high, gazing down at the unsuspecting villagers below who looked more like tiny ants than people. It was as if…the entire world were laid out before one's eyes. The rolling green hills in the distance…the emerald sea of trees…the humble stone buildings of the village at the end of the castle's long bridge…and even the vast stretch of sky seemed closer destinations than the unforgiving ground so far below.

In spite of everything he knew…everything he'd already seen and experienced… eighteen-year-old Yami could not help but smile in childish wonder at the beauty of this kingdom. Riazlora…the kingdom of lush gardens and pure light. This awe was further intensified by the fact that he was currently perched precariously on a rare flat surface of the towering castle's roof, his hand clutching a black-shingled spire.

The royal building itself was picturesque all on its own. Built with stone of a pure, glittering white, the castle was thronged with elegant spires that seemed to pierce the sky above. On several of the towers, curling vines dotted with deep red roses grew, as did copious wild flowers in the courtyard. A black iron gate led from the courtyard to a long bridge that reached all the way into the village several miles away…and into the mysterious forest. Very few souls dared to venture into that enigmatic wood…many claimed that the lost princess might have been dragged into it and….

"Quite a view, is it not?"

Yami was shaken from his reverie by a slightly raspy, accented voice. He turned…and saw one of his companions, Bakura, studying him with an arched brow. Well… "companion" was not exactly the right word… "cohort" fit the description a little better.

Bakura was a young man around his age with long, shaggy white hair and pale skin. His eyes were dark and piercing, his body slim but reasonably muscled. Currently, he was wearing a dark blue squire shirt, no doubt stolen from the castle armory, white cotton pants, and dark brown boots. Truly, he was a darkly handsome individual…but so was his fellow criminal.

Yami had equally pale skin and piercing eyes…but his were the color of freshly-drawn blood and lashed quite thickly. They burned with a deep intelligence and intensity that was almost…unnerving to whomever met their fiery gaze. His hair was slickly spiked and mostly black with deep red edges and blonde bangs that framed his chiseled face. His body was slim and toned…and often rigid with a seriousness which seemed rather…out of place for his young age. He was clothed in all black—black tank top, heavy black pants, black boots, and a multitude of black belts.

"I do believe I'm used to this view…" Bakura continued, as if Yami had answered his previous question. Unlike the red-eyed youth, he was standing at the very edge of the platform, his arms casually crossed behind his head as if he'd been in high places like this a million times before…which he probably had. "Yes…I think I would like a castle. How about you, Your Highness?"

Yami rolled his eyes. Bakura often called him that because of his stoic, regal demeanor, not how much it stung him. _"If only he knew…"_ the youth thought before opening his mouth to answer. "I steal only what I need, nothing more. I don't need a castle so I have no desire to steal one." His voice came out bitter…but he didn't care.

It was Bakura's turn to roll his eyes. "I was joking, Your Royal Glumness. What is your problem? You've been acting strange ever since we came to this castle…"

Yami averted his eyes but did not answer.

"Don't tell me you're feeling guilty…" the thief exclaimed, sounding surprised. "Yami…the royals are the best people to steal from. They have EVERYTHING…we have nothing but the clothes on our backs! Sometimes not even that, seeing as I had to steal the clothes I am currently wearing…"

The spiky-haired teen shook his head. That wasn't it…and he was not about to reveal the true reason for his agitation. No one would believe him anyway…

Bakura's chocolate eyes studied him for a long moment. After a moment, he sighed, crossed his arms over his chest, and muttered, "You know…I don't steal because it is fun…though I must admit that more often than not I find it is…I steal because I have no other choice. No one wants to take care of street rats…especially street rats like us who are mostly grown." His eyes grew even darker. "The world will not give us care…so we have to take it."

Yami flicked his gaze to the white haired thief's, fire clashing with earthy obsidian. He didn't want to tell Bakura that thievery, as much as it did weigh on his conscience, was not the main source of his distress at the moment. That would only lead him to ask more questions…questions that the youth could not answer.

Finally, he replied, "…I just know that I am supposed to be doing something else with my life besides stea…"

"HEY!" a rough, relentless voice snapped, luckily saving the reluctant thief from finishing his statement. The duo turned…and saw their other two cohorts, the twins, Para and Dox.

They were both bald-headed with bulky forms, tan skin, and narrow eyes. There were a few striking differences however to tell them apart. The one who had spoken, Dox, wore a green kimono and had a gravelly voice that sounded like rocks being ground to oblivion. Para on the other hand, was clothed in an orange kimono and his voice was smooth and slightly high-pitched. The twins also had diverse tattoos of Oriental characters embedded into their foreheads, further differentiating them.

Though they had not long been working together long, neither Yami nor Bakura were overly fond of the two brothers. Para and Dox had a noticeable essence of "thug" radiating from them and a sneakiness that was not to be confused with cleverness. The boys were in need of raw muscle for their expeditions, however, so they had recruited these two for lack of a better choice at the Torike Tavern.

"Oh look…." Bakura murmured under his breath. "Tweedle Dumb and Tweedle Dumber found a skylight opening."

Venturing over to where his partner was standing, Yami saw that this was indeed true. The twins were balancing unstably on the roof, their hands clutching at the edge of a ceiling window…a window which led to the exact room they desired to infiltrate.

Bakura was still muttering. "I must say I am surprised… When we hired those two, I thought they would be good for nothing except breaking through walls and beating up guards with little fuss…."

"Bakura!" Yami hissed, glancing at Para and Dox to see if they had heard that litany of insults. "Don't let them hear you talking like that! I already expect that they would betray us the moment the tide turns against our favor…they do not need any further incentive to do so!"

Bakura smirked. "Heh…not if we betray them first."

"You mean YOU?"

Before the snowy-haired thief could answer, Para called out impatiently, "Get over here, both of you! You can argue when the treasure is ours!"

Yami glanced at his partner. Bakura shrugged and, with catlike grace and stealth, began to creep across the ebony shingles toward the window. Yami watched for a moment…then sighed and reluctantly followed.

Descending from a thirty-foot ceiling a hair's breadth away from guards with nothing holding one's body above a thick, marble floor except a simple rope was a ticklish business to put it mildly. Yami's heart pounded as Para and Dox slowly lowered the rope from their perch on the skylight and he had to keep his jaw clenched to stifle his gasping breaths.

As he jerked lower and lower, he allowed his ruby eyes to take in the details of the room….just in case some other escape strategy was necessary. The ceilings were high, as he well knew, and the floors were made of a cream and light brown marble that continued into elegantly-carved pillars. Tall windows rested along either side wall of the chamber, leading to a large set of doors. The part Yami was interested in however…was the platform above which he was dangerously suspended.

It was slightly raised as above the marble floor and carpeted with a beauteous red fabric. A group of silver-armored guards stood with their heels against the step of the platform, providing security…for the pedestal to which this entire chamber was dedicated…or rather the object resting upon the pedestal. It was a sparkling crown of pure silver, encrusted with three, deep blue sapphires. It was said to have belonged to the missing princess…and the mourning queen and queen kept it safe in this room in case she ever returned to wear it.

Guilt sliced though Yami's heart like an icy dagger and he almost tugged on the rope for the thugs to pull him back up without the treasure….but he knew he could not. He had to do this…as morally atrocious as it seemed to him. After all…what were the chances of the princess actually returning after being lost for going on eighteen years…?

Taking a deep, silent breath, Yami glanced at the guards with their backs turned to him…and slowly reached out. His pale fingers curled around the cool metal of the crown and he carefully lifted it from the pedestal. He slid it into a satchel wrapped over his shoulder…and a sudden thrill jolted through his body. He had done it…had stolen an object of true value…that would perhaps prevent him from ever having to steal again. Finally, his urchin life could move forward…

Right as Yami was about to tug on the rope…one of the rather sleepy-looking guards sneezed. Perhaps it was the thrill of a completed mission…or maybe it was simply a flashback of the cockiness that used to be so prevalent in his personality…but before Yami could stop himself, he muttered, "Hay fever?"

"Yeah…" the guard replied without turning around, genuinely not realizing that it was not normal for someone to be talking behind him. Then…he jerked, as if electrocuted, and whipped around…but Yami was already scrambling across the roof with Bakura, Para, and Dox.

Bakura was laughing as they ran as fast as possible across the stone bridge leading into the village…and forest. "That was a brilliant line! So much for his majesty's royal sullenness!"

Yami rolled his eyes but allowed himself a small grin as they ran.

"Anyway," Bakura continued, throwing a brief glance backward as the shouts of the guards wafted toward them. "Don't get overconfident just yet! The day's just started…I'm sure we can find plenty more mischief to get into!"

X

"All right…this is it," Tea announced, taking a deep breath as she smoothed her dress in one of the many mirrors of her tower. "I'm finally going to ask her, Kuriboh…I'm going to ask Mother if she'll let me leave the tower."

Floating next to her, Kuriboh gave an excited squeak and nuzzled her cheek. She laughed and hugged him close. "I know, I know…it's a very big day…."

"Tea!"

The girl jumped in surprise at the familiar voice…then her face lit up with delight. "She's here!"

Kuriboh bounced up and down on the tile floor, squeaking loudly and rapidly to show his ecstasy. Tea giggled, picked him up, and went over to her chest of paint supplies. She lifted up an old, paint-splattered sheet that lay on top of the chest and draped it over her fuzz ball pet, effectively hiding him. Mother Chono had made a strict rule of "no pets"…but Tea just could not bear being locked up all alone in the tower. Besides…Kuriboh was not really a pet…he stayed with her of his own free will.

"There…" she whispered. "Now don't let her see you."

The creature nodded and further nestled into the fabric. Tea smiled gently…and jumped in surprise when her mother's voice sounded again, still cheerfully…but a bit more sharply.

"Tea! Let down your hair! I'm not getting any younger down here!"

Gathering up her many yards of tresses, Tea scrambled over to the window and threw the shudders open. Mother was standing on the ground below, a basket of food on her arm and a dark crimson hood concealing her face.

"Just a moment, Mother!" the girl shouted. She wrapped her hair around the hook that rested on the underside of the window frame, then threw the remaining locks downward. Chono took the hair, looped it, and stepped onto the loop, giving the rest of the silky brown substance a tug to signal she was ready.

Tea nodded. Then, with much effort, she began tugging with all her strength on the hair, hauling the woman up the tower. As she strained and pulled, she briefly wished that she could be in Mother's shoes…could see the wondrous world outside the tower…and feel the warm sunlight on her face… She brushed the notion away. She had a small window…she could not give up hope.

When she finally reached the top, Chono stepped in through the window and dashed the hood from her face. Chono had full, wavy red hair that touched her shoulders. Her face was seemingly flawless, with pure white skin and heavily painted blue eyes that went along well with her full, ruby lips. Currently, she was wearing a deep blue dress that looked pleasant with her blood-colored cloak…but the dress showed a bit more cleavage than Tea secretly thought was necessary.

"Welcome home, mother," the brunette greeted cheerfully.

Chono panted, as if she had been the one to haul herself up the tower, and smiled tolerantly. Tea felt her back go rigid, a reaction she often had around her mother. She didn't quite understand it…but there was something about Chono that seemed rather….false. The girl was not sure if her strange intuition stemmed from the woman's unlikely beauty, her reasons for being so strict…or her demeanor. Something about the way she treated her daughter just did not seem quite…Tea jerked and shook her head. She couldn't think that way about her own flesh and blood, the woman who had given her life….especially considering the gravity of the request she was about to make.

"Ah, Tea…" Chono was saying as she brushed a few auburn locks from her flawless face. "How you manage to pull me up the tower every day without fail…it looks simply exhausting!"

"Not at all, Mother," Tea lied, trying to disguise the breathiness in her voice. Chono was not a heavy-set woman…but she had a buxom build as opposed to Tea's slender figure.

Chono smiled coyly and lightly tapped her daughter's nose. "Then I don't know why it takes so long…"

Tea's heart skipped a beat and she clutched at the hem of her dress anxiously. Her mother, however, threw her head back and laughed. "I'm only teasing, darling. Oh, how I love you!"

She laughed again, throwing her cloak carelessly on the window sill and pushing past the girl. Tea chuckled too…but hers was a nervous sound. Mother made these little "jokes" all the time…and Tea could not help but think that there was more meaning to them than Chono claimed.

"So, mother…" Tea's heart pounded as she went to stand beside the woman, who was studying herself in one of the mirrors. "As you know, tomorrow is…"

"Tea…" Chono interrupted before she could go on. She put one arm around the girl's shoulders and drew her close, beckoning to their reflections. "Look in that mirror…do you know what I see? I see a strong, confident, beautiful young lady…." Her features twisted sardonically. "And look, YOU'RE there too!"

The red head cackled again, that shrill laugh that made Tea cringe more than it did smile. "Oh, I'm only teasing, dear…do stop taking everything so seriously!"

Chono went back to closely studying her own face and the brunette opened her mouth to speak once again. "Okay. So, Mother…I was saying…tomorrow is…"

"Oh, Tea…" the woman cut in yet again. She was running her fingers through her ruby hair…and frowning at a few streaks of grey that ran through it. "Mother's feeling a little rundown…Dance for me, would you? Then we'll talk…"

"Oh, of course!" Tea scrambled past her into the kitchen and fetched the most comfortable chair she could find. She ran back into the tower entryway with the chair, pushed a puzzled-looking Chono into it, and went to stand in front of the dance mirrors.

Taking a deep breath, Tea raised her arms in an oval shape over her head…and began to dance the familiar ritualistic dance…the dance that would activate her power. Her long, chocolate locks…began to glow a bright gold, lighting up the room with the brightness of the sun. However, instead of performing the movements with her usual relish and passion…the girl sped through them as fast as humanly possible. Chono's head bobbed rapidly as she tried to keep up with her daughter's movements, and she barely had time to grab onto a lock of hair before it stopped glowing.

The glittering magic spread through Chono's hands up to her face, smoothing away a few rogue wrinkles and lightening the grey in her hair to match the overall red. She opened her eyes and breathed in relief. Then, she glared at her daughter.

"Tea!" she started…but Tea dropped to her knees, leaning onto her mother's lap and grinning widely.

"So, Mother…earlier I was saying that tomorrow is a big day and you didn't respond…so I'm just going to tell you. It's my birthday!"

She laughed excitedly and embraced her mother. Chono slowly shook her head.

"No, it can't be…I distinctly remember that your birthday was last year."

"That's the funny thing about birthdays…" Tea shrugged, trying to hide the exasperation in her voice. "They're…kind of annual…" The girl sat back down at her mother's knee…and began nervously playing with her lengthy hair. "Mother…I'm turning eighteen…and…what I really wanted for this birthday…well…what I've wanted for several birthdays actually…is…."

Chono rolled her eyes in irritation. "Tea, stop with the mumbling. You know how I feel about the mumbling…it's so annoying!" the brunette flinched and her mother's harsh expression softened into that…glitzy sweetness. "You know I'm only joking, dear, you're adorable!"

She got up and wandered over to the basket of food she'd brought home, turning her back to Tea as she began putting away a few ripe-looking peaches. Tea bit her lip with growing despair and was about to drop the subject…when a soft squeaking caught her attention. She glanced over at the paint chest…and saw Kuriboh poking his head out to look at her. He nodded rapidly, encouraging her to go on.

The brunette smiled, took a deep breath…and blurted out, "I want to see the floating lights!"

Chono turned to look at her. "What?" she asked, confusion plain on her face.

Tea's heart was pounding rapidly. She had crossed the threshold into dangerous territory…and there was no turning back. She took a deep breath and pointed up at the mural she'd painted earlier that day.

"I was hoping…that you'd take me to see the floating lights in the sky."

Chono's narrowed eyes wandered to the painting…and her expression suddenly relaxed with something like amusement. "Oh, you mean the STARS…."

"No, that's the thing!" Tea pointed at another mural, this one of the night sky which she had more or less memorized in her free time. "I've charted our stars…and…they're always constant. These lights appear ONLY on my birthday…and…." She slowly got to her feet, wringing her fingers wistfully. "I can't help but think…they're meant for me. I need to see them, Mother. And…not just from my window…I need to know what they are."

Chono dropped the peach she was about to bite into and stared at her daughter. "You want to go outside…? Why, Tea…" she went over to the window and slammed the shutters closed.

She then sidled back over to Tea, taking both of her hands and looking her up and down with one of those…disconcerting smiles. "Look at you…you're a mere sapling! Just a sprout!" she ran her fingers through the silky blanket of hair. "You know why we stay up here in this tower….to keep you safe!"

"I know, Mother, but…" Tea started only to be cut off.

"Oh, I always knew this day would come…" Chono passed a hand dramatically over her eyes. "I knew you'd want to leave the nest one of these days…but you're not ready!"

The woman pulled her daughter to one of the mirrors and forced her to look at herself. "Look, my dear…you're naïve, gullible, underdressed…" she pointed at the girl's bare feet. Tea blushed and pulled frantically downward at her dress to hide her toes as Chono went relentlessly onward. "Immature, clumsy, ditsy…and getting a little chubby if I may say so…"

The beauty's humiliated flush deepened. "I…I…."

"You know the story!" Chono's grip tightened painfully on the locks. "Your hair possesses magical properties unlike anything else in this world! All those cruel, terrible people out there want to cut it, to keep if for themselves…and once they realize that the power lives within YOU, not just the hair…they'll destroy you!"

The girl's heart lurched. She swallowed hard…and thought she glimpsed a brief smile of triumph on her mother's face. Chono went on, "Thieves, ruffians, murderers, cannibals, disease, poison ivy, quick sand, you name it! It's all out there…and it will destroy you! Trust me, my dear…mother knows best!"

Tea's hands trembled. She threw her arms around her mother, burying her face into the woman's overly-perfumed shoulder. Perhaps she was right…maybe the world…as beautiful as it seemed…was a place of pure evil. It hurt so badly to admit it….

"That's why you dance for me every day…to ensure that I remain young and able to protect you always…and I ask only one thing in return…" the woman pulled back and took her by the shoulders, her glamorous gaze…hardening. "Tea…don't EVER…ask to leave the tower again."

Tea's heart sank…but she nodded slowly. "Yes mother…" she murmured, not bothering to conceal the devastation in her voice.

"Oh my dear…." Chono slid a finger beneath the girl's chin and raised it. "I love you very much…" she pulled her into an embrace…one that felt more constricting than loving.

"I love you too…" Tea murmured and pulled back rather stiffly.

Chono smiled in satisfaction and wandered back over to the window. "If nothing else…" she said as she prepared her daughter's hair to let her down to the ground. "Just remember that mother ALWAYS knows what's best."

She pulled on her cloak and began lowering herself to the earth again. "I'll see you soon, my flower!" she called cheerily.

Tea pulled her hair back through the window…and sighed dejectedly. She rested her arms on the sill and stared forlornly at her mother's back, retreating into the world…which would seemingly always be closed to her.

"I'll…be here…"

**Grrrr now I REALLY hate Chono XD. Hope you liked and please review ^_^!**

**I DO NOT OWN YUGIOH OR TANGLED**


	3. Escape and Discovery

**I DO NOT OWN YUGIOH OR TANGLED**

**Hi there! Chapter three is up ^_^!**

**Sailorblaze: It's Yami Bakura :). Haha, and don't worry I'll try to give Marik a main role in the Ugly Duckling scene.**

**Sunrise Phoenix: Thank you ^_^! Tea will meet Atem in this one and Bakura later :).**

**Axalover11: Thanks :)!**

**Coka Cookie Cola: Haha, yeah XD. One of my fave video game characters has fiery red hair ^_^.**

**Vampiressbeauty20: Hahaha, thanks :). XD Maybe we'll send Dartz after her….**

**MutantEnemy101: Me too LOL. Thanks ^_^! I'm excited about his character in this fic :).**

**Aqua girl 007: Thanks :)! Hahaha I love it when I can have Bakura and Yami at each other's throats XD. Grrr don't like Chono either…Oh well, she fits the role well ^_^.**

**The Real Contestshipping Princess: Yami finally appears XD! And you may be right about the pharaoh thing *wink*. Hahah, yeah she's perfectly HORRID ^^.**

**Lioutenant Flame: XD I thought they would fill in well for the evil twins. I'm not sure about that yet….**

**Kender20: Thanks ^_^! I thought she would be a nice change from Vivian XD.**

**LadyCathy: Thanks so much! Haha, Kuriboh's such a cutie… Thanks, I'm relieved to know my vocabulary is good (I always cringe when I go back and look at grammatical mistakes I've made and didn't catch XD). **

**X**

"I think we…can rest…here…" Yami panted, slowing his frantic run to a halt in the Riazlorian Woods. He rested his hand against the rough bark of a tree and breathed, quickly taking in his surroundings as he did so.

They were standing on a dirt path in the forest. Towering trees and creeping plants of various types grew all around, making it seem as though they were submerged in a sea of green. Branches leaned over the path, creating a canopy with only a few breaks to allow sunlight through. It was nearly impossible to see anything in the distance…but he could make out a few faint glimpses of light farther ahead.

Yami leaned his back against the tree and slid down to the dirt ground to rest. He glanced at the brown satchel hanging around his neck…and smiled in spite of himself. He would never have to steal…to flee…to waste his life again…his eyes closed in peace…or what was about to be the illusion of peace…for they weren't out of the woods yet.

"Oh no!" Bakura exclaimed suddenly.

Yami's eyes snapped open and he leapt to his feet, ready for anything. "What? What is it?"

Bakura was standing near another tree with a broad trunk. There was a fresh-looking piece of parchment nailed to the bark, its white surface imprinted with the ink profiles of Para and Dox. "Wanted" was printed in large, black letters above their ugly-looking faces.

The white-haired thief clutched another piece of paper in his hand, glaring at it fiercely with those dark eyes. Yami swallowed hard, fearing the worse. "Well?"

Bakura growled and flipped the paper over so that the youth could see its contents. It contained a picture of the other two thieves…the words… "Wanted, Dead or Alive" scrawled relentlessly across the top.

Bakura pointed at the profile of himself and hissed, "Look at this! They never get my bloody nose right!"

Yami rolled his eyes. "Narcissist…"

"Easy for you to say!" the thief snapped, waving the paper. "You look amazing in this pict…."

The sudden thudding of hooves cut off his rant. The four criminals turned…to see a squadron of royal guards peering at them from a hill several yards away. Their armor gleamed ominously in the few rays of sunlight and their horses pawed at the ground, impatient to complete their mission.

"Come on, you fools!" Dox shouted and they took off into the forest.

Tripping and struggling over vines and thick roots, they cut through a heavily-foliaged area of the forest. More than once did Yami and Bakura get their unruly hair caught in the low branches of trees and had to stop to untangle it, much to the impatience of their bald cohorts. Though he did not voice it to Bakura, Yami suspected that the two thugs would have long-since left them behind if he were not holding tight to the satchel with their treasure.

Eventually, they came out on another dirt path…and though the hoof beats were less thundering than they had been, they could still be heard. The fugitives scrambled over the dusty road, turning around a sharp bend…and gasping in horror at what lay on the other side. It was a wall of stone, at least three feet taller than the tallest of the group.

Bakura cursed and glanced behind them. The shouts and horse hooves were getting louder…and they sounded furious. Yami looked over at the twins and ordered, "Boost us up. You two are the tallest. We'll pull you up once we're at the top."

The twins looked at each other. Then, narrowing their eyes, they turned back to Yami and Bakura.

"Hand us the satchel first," Para growled.

Bakura glanced over his shoulder and arched his brows. "You don't trust us?" he asked with mock hurt. "And after all we've been through…"

Both thugs gave him a deadpan look and he winced. "Ouch…that really hurts…"

"Bakura…" Yami muttered warningly, peering up the road in the direction of the advancing guards. "They're getting closer…"

The snowy-haired thief flicked his eyes in the direction, then shrugged. "Fine…" he said and nonchalantly tossed the satchel to Dox. The green kimono-wearing twin took it and slung it carelessly around his neck like a necklace.

Para stooped down and motioned for Yami to step into his hands. He did so and yelped when the man thrust him upward and onto the ledge. Yami landed unceremoniously at the top and struggled to his feet. He stretched out his hand and called to Bakura.

The thief gave a leonine grin and bounded over to Para. He stepped onto the thug's hand, jumped upward…and with incredible nimbleness, reached over and snatched the satchel handle, tearing it from Dox's neck. Both brothers cried out in alarm…but Bakura was already standing on the ledge with his shocked partner, twirling the satchel mockingly.

"BAKURA!" Para and Dox simultaneously roared.

The snowy-haired youth merely grinned, threw the satchel into his partner's arms…and ran off.

"Bakura!" Yami shouted, slinging the bag over his shoulder. When the thief did not answer, he scowled and started to reach down for Para and Dox himself.

The raucous sounds of man and beast grew louder. Hoof beats sounded like thunder and the anxious neighs were like the piercing screams of banshees. The men's shouts became rougher, clearer…and Yami could swear he heard the words, "find them…crown…kill them all…."

Para and Dox glanced backward, then back at the youth. Their already narrow eyes glowered into slits and Dox hissed, "We'll get you back for this….mark my words."

With that ominous statement…the twins turned and took off into the woods from which they had just come…and Yami stood in stunned silence. It had finally happened…he and Bakura had betrayed their two subordinates…and they might very well pay for it in the future. Still, he did not have time to stand there, gawking and contemplating. He turned and stumbled down the steep hill where his white-haired companion was waiting impatiently.

"What took you so long?" Bakura demanded. "Those cursed drones are no doubt nearly upon us!"

Yami glared at the thief as they ran. "It's your own fault! You left me back there with those thugs! Now…you can thank yourself that we're on their bad side and no doubt revenge list!"

Bakura laughed scornfully. "Those two fools couldn't catch me if I was led up to them bound and gagged. You saw how I stole the satchel right out from under their noses!"

The duo scrambled through a patch of vines and brambles. It was quite the perilous task, as some of the bramble's thorns were at least a foot long…but it was better than running along open road.

"CURSE this blasted nature!" Bakura snarled as his long hair became ensnared in a particularly low tree branch. He squirmed and flailed, trying his best to escape but only succeeding in pricking himself several times on the sharp plants.

Rolling his eyes, Yami carefully worked his way over to his partner and reached for the branch. After a few moments of struggle, he managed to disentangle the hair. He lowered his arms…but did so too quickly and felt hot pain slice across his bicep. Wincing, he glanced down…and saw a shallow but lengthy gash on the arm. Yami inspected the area and found the culprit…a foot-long thorn among a patch of others.

_"Heh…never thought I'd see anything like THESE again…"_ he thought to himself…and broke off two of the thorns. He stuck them in his belt, deciding to hold on to them…just in case. He had learned long ago in his homeland…that thorns could be quite useful…

The two made their precarious way through the rest of the razor sharp foliage until they emerged on another dirt road. This one was a lot broader than the others. It led to a wide open space with only a few trees…but a beautiful waterfall. Next to the waterfall was an exceedingly steep hill which might as well have been a cliff. A single, odd tree grew out from the cliff, its bark wet with the spray of the waterfall.

"Beautiful…Yami murmured, brushing some of the unruly bangs from his ruby eyes. He was breathing hard and a bit sweaty from running. He wanted nothing more than to leap into that cool, crystal water and forget his troubles.

Bakura on the other hand, was not so moved by the sight. He was growling and swiping irritably at the various cuts and bruises along his body.

"Ouch! Bloody thorns!" he growled, pulling a considerably large one from his arm. "When we trade that crown for coins I am going to buy a house in the middle of the desert FAR AWAY from nature!"

Yami smirked. "If you want to get away from thorns, the desert is the last place you want to go…"

"Oh?" Bakura raised his snowy brows. "And how would you know?"

The youth's heart lurched and his eyes immediately looked downward. He picked a few stray vines off the crown satchel and cleared his throat. "Just a guess…anyway, let's get going, shall we?"

Bakura stayed put. His eyes narrowed slightly and his scraped body grew rigid.

"Listen, Yami…" he began in a low tone. "…you've been solemn and vague ever since I met you. Even now, after we've worked together for several months, I still know next to nothing about you." He advanced forward a step and Yami took a wary step back. "I think…you've been deliberately mysterious…you don't want to know anything about me and you don't want me to know anything about you. That way…when it comes time to betray me…you won't harbor any guilt on the matter!"

"What? That is ridiculous!" Yami snapped. In truth, however, Bakura was not too far from the truth. He didn't want to reveal a lot about himself…but it was not for the reason his partner thought.

The thief stretched out his hand. "Give me the satchel. I'll hang onto it from now on."

Yami took another step backward and glared. There was no way he was letting Bakura get a hold of the key to his redemption from thiefhood. The moment he let go of it, he was sure his so-called partner would abscond with it.

"What's the matter?" Bakura arched an eyebrow and sneered. "Don't trust me?"

The youth opened his mouth to answer…but a furious shout sounded before he could do so. Both boys turned…and saw the legion of soldiers standing at the top of the hill several yards away.

"There they are!" one of the helmet-shrouded men shouted, and his horse reared on its hind legs, shrieking with something like range. Yami thought there was something odd about that voice…but he didn't take time to contemplate it.

The thieving duo turned and ran as fast as they could…to where? They were between a rock and a hard place…or, more appropriately, a squad of armed men and a dangerously steep hill. Bakura cursed as they ran.

"How did they get so close? I never once heard them!"

Yami had been wondering the same thing…when it dawned on him. "The waterfall…" he muttered and swore under his breath. The roaring waters had been so loud…that they blocked out the normally thunderous noises of soldiers on horseback. That little "shortcut" they took to get away from the men…may very well have cost them their lives.

The spiky-haired youth was ahead of his companion and barely stopped in time before going over the edge. He stared downward, heart thudding. The cliff was merely a steep, grassy hill, as it appeared…but it was almost a vertical drop to the valley below. Still…there was no other choice.

Yami took the satchel from his shoulder and was about to toss it down the hill… when Bakura slammed into him from behind, apparently looking at the troops behind them and not at where he was going. Consequently, the satchel went flying from Yami's hands…and caught on the outermost branch of the small tree growing out of the cliff's side.

Bakura shouted in anger and Yami growled. "Don't waste your time yelling at me, go get it!"

"Me?" the thief retorted. "You dropped it, YOU go get it!"

The youth was about to argue…but saw the soldiers growing ever closer and decided against it. Biting back a curse, he dropped to his knees and began crawling out onto the side-growing tree. It was a ticklish business, as the bark was wet and slippery from the waterfall's spray. At one point, his hand slipped and he toppled over…but managed to wrap his arms around the tree from the underside. He was now hanging upside down, his back parallel to the ground below and that cursed bag hanging only a few feet out of his reach.

"Oh, for the LOVE of R…" he stopped himself before the curse native to his homeland was complete.

In spite of their serious situation, Bakura let out a raspy laugh. "Hahahah! Just haaaaang in there!"

"Shut up…" Yami growled as he shimmied along the bottom of the plant. Finally, he came within arm's reach of the satchel. He reached out with a shaky arm, grasping firmly to the log with his other…and curled his fingers around the handle, pulling the treasure to him.

"Yes!" Bakura cheered, punching the air in triumph. He then stretched out his hand and said, "Toss it to me."

Yami stared at that hand…and then at the gleaming, dark eyes of his cohort. What if he handed over the bag…only to have the thief leave him hanging helplessly on this cursed log? He shook his head slowly and Bakura scowled.

"You can't shimmy along that tree and hold onto the satchel at the same time, you fool!"

The youth glanced at the guards growing closer and closer, then back to Bakura. "Then come out here and help me climb up."

Bakura scowled and he opened his mouth, no doubt to argue…but the whiz of an arrow flying past his head made him think otherwise. Glowering, the thief crouched down and started to crawl out onto the tree. More arrows followed, one of which scraped Bakura's arm, making him yelp in pain. Yami was suddenly glad that he was hopelessly hanging upside down from a tree…but that relief faded as soon as it had appeared.

A sickening crack pierced the air…and both boys slowly turned to look at the tree's roots. With the combined weight of their bodies…the roots were stretching away from the dirt…and snapping one by one. Each terrible crack made them stare and flinch in horrified fascination until Bakura finally recovered.

He turned and snapped with frantic sharpness, "Toss me the bag now!"

Yami jerked back to attention as well and glared at the thief. "I will not give it to you! You'll run off with it and leave me here!"

"Yami, this is no time to…!"

The tree broke. A gloved hand belonging to one of the soldiers shot out, grabbing Bakura's arm and pulling him back onto the ledge…but Yami was not so fortunate. He yelled as he fell with the plant, but luckily had enough wits about him to climb onto its topside. His hair flew upward in a frenzy of red, black, and blonde and he had to close his eyes from the force of the wind. He clutched at a stray branch so tightly that he was sure his fingers would be fused to it…if he lived to tell the tale that is.

After what seemed like an eternity of falling, the tree finally struck the hill. The impact was jarring, but not bone-breaking and Yami slid down the rest of the way on the log, like a child sledding down a mound of snow. The log reached the flat valley below and slowed slightly…but still sent him flying off when it slammed into a wall of rock.

Yami yelped as he hit the ground and rolled to a painful stop several feet away from the log. He lay there on the soft, warm ground…feeling a little stunned. He had made it…he survived….and the satchel was still held firmly in his iron grip.

Groaning, the youth gathered his groggy mind from the stretches of shocked oblivion and slowly got to his feet. He was bruised and a little scraped…but otherwise unharmed. He sat on his knees for a moment…and gave an incredulous laugh.

"Heh…I did it…I escaped…and…" he gasped as a sudden realization hit him. "Bakura!"

Yami looked up…and saw the glinting helmets of the soldiers staring down into the valley. Their horses whinnied and pawed at the ground with impatience, but it was quite obvious they could not make the steep decent downward. They would have to find an alternate rout…and that gave Yami time.

He got to his feet and began creeping backwards, waiting for the men to back out of eyeshot. When they did, he took a brief scan of the area in which he had landed. It was low and grassy with a dark patch of trees that looked inviting…but no doubt lead to more royal roads along which he could be caught. He had to find a different route.

Yami continued walking backward and leaned to press his back against the wall of vine-covered rock he'd crashed into…but found himself falling instead. He passed through the vines and hit the dirt ground on his back, quickly realizing…that the solid rock wall was not solid at all. He scrambled to his feet and looked around. He was in a cave carved into the rock…and concealed by those heavy vines.

Breathing shallowly, Yami made his way through the tunnel. It was short and dark…but partially illuminated by a few stray bands of light shining through another wall of vines at the opposite end. He reached the plants, pulled them aside…and felt the breath knocked out of him.

He was still in the low valley….but this hidden place was far more breathtaking. It was surrounded by rock walls, the only entrance to it being that through which he had come. Plants and exotic-looking flowers grew all around and at one corner, some of the water from the waterfall he'd seen earlier drizzled into a small pond. While all of this was undoubtedly picturesque…the most incredible feature of this secluded place was not organic…but manmade.

It was a tower, tall and wound with creeping vines. Built with dark grey stones and a crimson roof, it reached many feet off the ground…and there seemed to be some sort of living quarters at the top.

Yami stared at it for a long moment, then shrugged. Stranger things had happened today…and this was his best shot. He could only wander about in the open woods for so long before the guards found him…and he badly needed a place to rest. This place would provide him cover and a possible asylum.

Taking a deep breath, the youth started toward the tower. The closer he got, the taller the structure seemed to grow and he could not help but gulp in grim anticipation. Still…whoever lived up there had to get up and down by some method…therefore so could he.

Yami reached the base of the tower and walked around it several times, searching for some stairway or lift that would bring him to the top…but finding nothing. He stopped and crossed his arms, glaring up at the window at the top of the tower. If only he had some sharp object he could wedge into the cracks between the rocks, then he could scale the tower and….

He struck himself in the forehead as it dawned on him. Of course! The thorns! He had done this trick a million times sneaking in and out of his home. How could he have forgotten? His triumphant smile faded.

"I suppose…the mind chooses to forget…when something is too painful to remember…" Yami murmured, taking the thorns from his belt.

He stepped forward and drove one of the sharp projectiles into a visible crack. It pierced through the grout with considerable ease and stuck well enough for partial confidence. Of course, how confident could one be when climbing up a goodness-knew-how-many-foot tower with nothing to hold onto save for part of a plant? The youth decided not to think about it…and began to scale the wall.

He reached the top with few grievances, save for a few birds attacking his hair in hopes of using it for their nests. During those instances, he had muttered to himself that Bakura might very well be right about nature before resuming his perilous venture.

Finally, Yami climbed onto the windowsill and fell into the room on the other side. Grunting in pain, he clambered to his feet, resting his hand on the sill…and looking around in wonder.

The tower's interior was small…but amazing. The small skylights in the beam-crossed ceiling were closed, making it dark…bit he could still make out a simple kitchen, a spiraling stairway leading up to another room…and a wall of mirrors. The walls were scrawled with vibrant paintings of fanciful but skillful pictures…but there was a definite weight of loneliness settling on the air.

Yami sighed and glanced at the satchel hanging from his shoulder. He had escaped…gotten away with the treasure…and now here he was, in quiet solitude yet again.

"Looks like…I'm alone…" he muttered with more than a touch of sadness.

Then…something hard collided with the back of his head…and everything went black.

**Duhn duhn duuuuuuuhn! Haha :). I hoped you liked and please review ^_^!**

**I DO NOT OWN YUGIOH OR TANGLED**


	4. Cocealment and Interrogation

**I DO NOT OWN YUGIOH OR TANGLED**

**Hiya ^_^! Unto chapter four haha XD!**

**Sailorblaze: Haha, he wasn't murdered, but you'll see what he does ^_^.**

**Dany14-black8: XD Poor Bakura's about to have quite the interesting time haha. **

**Aqua girl 007: Thank you ^_^! Hahaha I had SOOOO much fun with Bakura in that chapter :). Just couldn't resist messing up his pretty hair XD.**

**MutantEnemy101: Haha, he does indeed ^_^. Thanks, that is a crucial part of the story :).**

**The Real Contestshipping Princess: Thanks ^_^! Hahah I'm having a ton of fun with 'Kura's character in this XD. Hahaha nothing like a frying pan to the head for a first impression lol :).**

**Axalover11: Hahaha cliffie XD!**

**Coka Cookie Cola: XD Yup, it certainly does!**

**Sunrise Phoenix: Thanks :)! The thorns tie in with his background :).**

**Lioutenant Flame: Haha yup it's the infamous frying pan XD!**

**ImmortalAngel92: Hi! Thanks! I've only seen it one and a half times myself lol.**

**LadyCathy: Thanks :)! Haha, yup he's really pushing his luck isn't he XD? My backyard is like a jungle so I deal with nature ALL the time hahahah. The evil frying pan returns mwahahaha XD! **

**Vampiressbeauty20: Hahah I summon a frying pan in attack mode XD!**

**Kender20: Heh heh, poor Yami…He can beat an Egyptian god but against a kitchen utensil he stands no chance XD.**

**X**

Tea clutched the frying pan tightly in her hands, her eyes wide…and unmoving from the person…the man who lay at her feet. She stood rigid for a long moment, holding the makeshift weapon in swinging position….then, when the reality of the situation sunk in, she shrieked and dove behind her mother's plush chair.

The girl sat on the cold tile floor and pressed her back against that of the chair's. Her heart was pounding, her breath coming in short, frantic gasps. Kuriboh toddled up beside her and nuzzled her arm with his head in a comforting manner. She grabbed him and hugged him close, thankful that he had urgently motioned for her to close all the tower skylights right before the stranger had broken in. That way, he could not see her…but she, on the other hand…could clearly see him.

Taking a deep breath, Tea set Kuriboh down….and cautiously poked her head out from behind the chair to look at her strange visitor. He was lying motionless on the floor just in front of the window, his body bathed in the afternoon light. From her hiding place, she could see a slim, muscled form clothed entirely in black, a few patches of pale skin, and some locks of strangely-colored hair…but not much else. The girl's fingers tightened on her trusty frying pan. She had to find out who this man was…what he looked like…and to do that, she had to go closer.

Tea slowly, shakily got to her feet…and tiptoed over to the still body. She held the frying pan out in front of her like a knight with his sword and slowly sidestepped until she was standing over him…and gazing down at his face.

The stranger had pale skin and thickly-lashed eyes, though she could not determine their color from his sleeping state. His hair was styled into sharp spikes of black and red with slick blonde bangs tumbling around his jaws. He wore a black tank top with black pants and a multitude of black belts…and there was some sort of satchel slung over his shoulder. The man…or rather young man, seeing as he looked to be around her age… had a definite air of intimidation about him…but she sensed no wickedness from him. Of course…maybe that was simply because he was sleeping…

Tea's back grew stiff and she glanced down at Kuriboh. He was hovering over the stranger as well, but staring at her with wide, knowing eyes. He narrowed his large eyes and made a mock growling noise, illustrating what they were both thinking.

Long ago, Chono had told her daughter about the men of the outside world. She claimed they were savage beings with sharp, deadly teeth, more beast than human. "They'll devour you in an instant…" she had said….What if she was right?

Breathing shallowly, Tea flipped the pan around so that the handle protruded…and used it to carefully pull aside the man's lips. She cringed, waiting to see the dreadful fangs…but was met with normal, flat teeth like hers instead.

Tea recoiled her pan…and stared at the youth for a long moment. As she did so…she felt her terror fade…and her body relax. He wasn't a hulking, horrifying beast like the men Mother had described. He was young, like her…human like her…and…judging by his idle words when he had stepped into the room….lonely like her….

The girl's eyes traveled down his body and she gasped in surprise. For his arms were covered in scratches and bruises, his clothing torn in a few places. Some of the bruises were probably her fault…but she didn't think she was responsible for ALL of them. This youth had been through something…something intense.

Tea brushed a lengthy strand of hair her from her face…and carefully knelt down beside him. She loosened one hand from the frying pan…and slowly reached out to his face. She brushed the blonde bangs from the young man's closed eyes…and felt an odd sensation heat her cheeks. She could not deny that…this stranger…was exceedingly handsome…and in his sleeping state…he almost looked…angelic…

The young man groaned and his eyelids fluttered. Consequently, Tea screamed and smacked him in the head once again with her frying pan. His body stilled…and remained still. The girl gave a soft, nervous laugh. She did not think he would wake up from THAT anytime soon…

She stood back up and crossed her arms over her chest. "Now onto the next question…" she muttered, glancing at the wide-eyed Kuriboh. "What the HECK am I going to do with him?"

The fuzz ball glanced up at the ceiling in thought for a moment. Then, he squeaked and hopped over to her paint chest with the sheet that she used to conceal him from Chono. Tea sighed and shook her head, wringing the azure hem of her dress in anxiety.

"That won't work…It'll be obvious that there's a body hiding under there." She glanced around and her eyes caught sight of the crisscrossing ceiling beams. "Maybe I could haul him up there!" she pointed and looked at her companion for encouragement.

Kuriboh was staring at her with a deadpan look and she hung her head. He was right of course…Even if Tea was physically able to haul the strange boy up there, she knew she would not be able to prevent herself from unconsciously glancing at the ceiling when her mother was home….and Chono was methodical. She would notice… Plus, it would be quite the task to explain herself if the young man woke up and fell to the floor.

Her eyes continued to scan the room…until they caught sight of a particular piece of furniture resting unobtrusively against a wall. It was a closet, which she had long since covered with various, colorful paintings…and it was just large enough to fit a single person. Tea stared at it for a long moment…then she shrugged. It was as good a choice as any.

She crept over to the strange man's body, and, with the frying pan, turned him over onto his back. His eyes were tightly closed, his body so still…that for a moment, the brunette feared he would never wake up. Then, she noted the light rise and fall of his chest in a peaceful sleeper's breathing…and relief flooded through her.

Setting her kitchen weapon down, Tea went to stand so that she was staring down at the youth's head. She bit her lip and shot a look at Kuriboh. He blinked at her, then rolled his eyes and hopped over. It seemed he understood….she was going to have to somehow carry the sleep-heavy body over to the closet.

Tea dropped to her knees and slid her arms around his midriff, lifting his upper body up off the floor. She gasped lightly as his head lolled back against her shoulder and his face pressed into her neck. Blushing furiously, she glanced over at her furry pet. Kuriboh was watching her with a look of extreme amusement on his fuzz-covered face.

"Help me, please!" Tea cried impatiently.

Kuriboh rolled his eyes, bounced over, and took part of her hair in his mouth. He began to float around and around the young man's middle, affectively tying the hair around him like a rope. Once he had wrapped it several times, Tea took hold of her end of the hair…and began to drag the body toward her closet.

It was quite the arduous business…for even though the young man was slim, he was a bit taller than her and heavier. She strained and groaned and pulled…but managed to haul his body across the tile to the wood closet. Keeping one hand wrapped around her hair, the girl threw open the doors to the closet…and slumped against it, breathing heavily. The easy part, getting him over to the closet was over…now she had to somehow lift him up and into it.

Clenching her jaw in determination, Tea unwound her hair from the man's body, holding him up with his chin resting against her shoulder. She staggered under his weight and tried to direct the momentum toward the closet door…but found herself stumbling backward instead. The girl squealed as she tripped and fell onto her back, luckily cushioned against the tile by her chocolate tresses. The young man was cushioned too…but not by hair. He had fallen on top of her, his face buried in her neck, his body pressed tightly against hers.

Tea squeaked and desperately crawled out from underneath him. Kuriboh grabbed the back of the man's shirt in his mouth and pulled upward, allowing the girl to scramble all the way out. She lay on the cool floor, panting with exhaustion and frustration. Time for a different approach…

The brunette dragged him back over to the closet and crawled inside the piece of furniture herself. She then attempted to pull him up with her…but only managed to fall out again, on top of him this time.

Tea growled in aggravation as she rolled off of the body and stood, tapping her chin and glaring at his ridiculously serene-looking face. Part of her wanted to revive him so that she could knock him out again for putting her through all this grief.

After a few more failed attempts, the girl finally discovered a successful strategy. Hooking both her arms around under his, she lifted half of his body up and draped it on the floor of the closet. Then, with Kuriboh's help, she shoved him as hard as she could the rest of the way up, leapt back, and slammed the doors shut before he could fall out again.

Tea gasped for air, leaning her hands against the closet door and hunching over with fatigue. Kuriboh was lying on the floor a few feet away, his own little body heaving with breaths. Finally, the girl looked up…and cringed when she saw several blonde bangs sticking out between the closet doors. She carefully pushed them back inside and shoved a kitchen chair against the door to keep it closed. The beauty then stepped back, trying to calm herself down as the reality of the situation sunk in.

"Okay…"she murmured. "I…have a person…in my closet….I….I have a…person…in my closet!" her voice grew shrill with sudden excitement as she turned to her confused-looking fuzz ball.

Grinning, Tea grabbed her weapon from the floor and ran to stand in front of the wall of mirrors.

"To dangerous for me, eh, mother?" the girl laughed in triumph. "I think not! Not for me and my frying pan!" she swung the hard object around once….and succeeding in smacking herself in the head with it.

"Ow…." She clutched at the spot in pain. "Man…that hurts…he's going to be mad when he wakes u….." her voice trailed off…when she saw the man's satchel lying on the ground. There was something poking out of its brown, cloth folds…something that sparkled.

Transfixed, Tea reached down and slid her hand into the sack. Her probing fingers searched…and fastened around something cool and metal. She grasped the object, pulled it out….and felt the breath leave her lungs. It was a solid silver ring that looked rather like a very large bracelet. Elegant swirls and designs were engraved into the metal…and three large sapphires rested in the ring's middle section. It was beautiful…unlike anything she'd ever seen.

The girl turned it over and around a few times, hoping to get some idea as to what the treasure was…but having little success. Finally, she slid it onto her arm, thinking that perhaps it was some sort of arm jewelry. The object hung heavily and awkwardly on her slender forearm and Kuriboh shook his head in disagreement.

Tea sighed, took the ring off, and was about to put it back….when she caught sight of herself in the mirror. She was clutching it in both hands so that its circular shape was fully visible….and when she compared it with the rest of her body…she saw that its size was proportionate with the circumference of her head.

Eyes fixated on the reflection, Tea's hands reached up, almost instinctively…and placed the ring atop her chocolate hair. It fit perfectly, its silver and azure gems glittering cheerfully in the light of the window, almost as if….the treasure was meant for her.

The brunette turned to Kuriboh and arched a questioning brow. He was staring at her with wide, wondrous eyes and seemed about to make some communicative gesture…when a familiar voice sounded from outside.

"Tea! Let down your hair!" Chono's singsong voice caroled cheerfully.

Tea gave a soft shriek and ripped the ring from her head. She snatched up the satchel, stuck the treasure back inside it, and stuffed bag and ring into a nearby decorative vase. She then took a deep breath and called out, with as much steadiness to her voice as possible, "Coming, Mother!"

Kuriboh burrowed into his usual hiding place while the brunette ran to the shudders. She wrapped her hair around the hook and tossed the rest of it down, trying her best to smile as if there was not a strange man in her closet.

"I've got a surprise for you!" Chono giggled as her daughter began hauling her up the tower.

"Uh…" Tea gave a nervous laugh while she pulled. "S-So do I!"

"Ah, but I'll bet MY surprise is bigger!"

"Heh. I SERIOULY doubt it…" the girl muttered under her breath and beamed as her mother stepped through the window.

Chono grinned and gracefully slid off the sill into the room. She brandished her wicker basket proudly and announced, "I brought back parsnips! I'm going to use them to make hazelnut soup tonight, your favorite!"

"Oh, that's great, Mother!" Tea said with forced enthusiasm. She glanced at the closet and began. "Um…I…"

Chono cut her off as she placed her basket down on the kitchen table and began pulling out its contents. "Oh, my dear I simply HATE leaving you after a fight…especially when I've done absolutely nothing wrong."

"Um…actually, Mother, I needed to talk to you about…" Tea began inching closer to the closet only to have the woman interrupt again.

"Tea, I hope this isn't about the stars again…" Chono murmured, her back to her daughter. Her voice was cheery…but had a passive aggressive edge to it. "…because I thought we had dropped that subject…."

Tea was within arm's reach of the door now…she could practically feel her fingers already around the handle, dramatically revealing her accomplishment and earning her mother's trust. "I was just thinking about how you said you thought I couldn't handle myself out there and…"

"I don't think, I KNOW you can't handle yourself out there," Chono replied, finally turning to face the girl. Her expression and voice were calm…but there was a slight glint of something unpleasant in her eyes. "Tea, this matter is CLOSED. There shall be no more discussion of…"

"I just wanted to prove to you that I can take care of myself and…" the brunette's hand was reaching out, only a hair's breadth away from the iron handle.

"ENOUGH!" Chono shrieked and slammed her hands furiously on the table. Her eyes narrowed fiercely and in that moment…her prettiness completely vanished. "I don't want to hear another WORD of this! You are NEVER leaving this tower!"

Tea froze. Her heart seemed to stop beating in her breast and her blood ran cold. She had never heard Mother sound like that before….had never heard such a tone of rage and viciousness…had never seen that cold, cruel iciness in her eyes. The girl recoiled her hand and hugged herself, feeling as though the coldness was actually reaching out to claim her.

Chono stared her down for a moment, then sighed wearily and slumped into a kitchen chair. "Oh great…now I'M the bad guy…" she muttered, kneading her forehead with stressed fingers.

The brunette studied her for a moment, waiting for her to look back up. When she did not, Tea turned to gaze upon Kuriboh…but found that he had scurried deeply into the paint tarp, apparently as terrified as she was of Chono's anger. She wished she could hide too…could escape into the whimsical and free world depicted by her paintings….paint….then it dawned on her.

Tea's eyes brightened and she shot a look back at her mother. The woman was still sitting there, eyes tightly closed, knitting her brow as if she were fighting to keep some primal beast within. She had to see the outside world…but apparently, she needed to do it without Chono's blessing.

"I…" Tea cleared her throat. "I was just going to say that…I know what I want for my birthday now, Mother."

"And what is that?" Chono growled with none of her usual false cheeriness.

"Some new paint…like the paint you brought me made from the white seashells."

Chono finally looked up. Her eyes were perplexed and more than a little irritated. "That is a very long trip, Tea…at least three days."

_"Exactly…"_ Tea thought but aloud she said, "I know…I just thought that it would be a better idea than the stars…."

The red head studied her for a long moment…and her face slowly softened. Tea suspected that the softening was out of relief but she chose not to contemplate it. She had a tiny chance…she could not ruin it. Chono stood up and walked over to her.

"You're sure you'll be all right by yourself?" she asked, holding both her daughter's shoulders.

"I'm sure…" Tea replied with a smile and embraced her mother.

The woman kissed her forehead and whispered, "I love you very much, dear…"

"I love you more…" the girl murmured and squeezed her tighter. She wanted Mother to know that…to know that she did not want to hurt her…but that she simply could not take being in this miserable place, ignorant of the real world, any longer.

Tea helped Chono pack up some food and supplies and in what seemed like an eternity…was watching her walk through the cave leading out of the secluded tower grounds. The woman turned and waved before disappearing into the vines covering the opening. Her daughter stood at the window sill, holding her breath as she expected the woman to emerge having changed her mind…but Chono was gone.

Still…Tea stared at the spot for several moments longer. "I'm sorry, Mother…." She murmured with genuine guilt. "But…I have to do this."

The girl took a deep, confidence-building breath and turned away from the window. Kuriboh was poking his head out of his hiding place, eyes large and quizzical. Clenching her jaw in determination, Tea grabbed the chair her mother had been sitting in and dragged it to the center of the room. She then marched over to the closet door, pulled away the object that held it closed…and the stranger's still-limp body tumbled out.

"All right, Kuriboh…" the brunette said firmly. "It's time for a little interrogation."

X

Yami smiled and closed his eyes in bliss as the hot sun bathed his face. No longer was he in that cold, dark tower, sitting on a hard tile floor. Now he was in a desert oasis, relaxing in the soft sand, the golden rays of light soothing his battered body. It was mere sunlight, nothing more…yet it took away all the pain of his injuries, warming him to his very core. Things could not get any better….

Then, dark storm clouds rolled in overhead, blocking out the rejuvenating desert sun. With them, they carried a coldness…a loneliness. Yami squeezed his eyes tightly shut again, wishing the sun would return…but alas it did not. What came in its place…was those cursed birds that had attacked him when he scaled that tower. The youth growled and tried to swat at them, but found that his arms would not rise. One of the evil birds grabbed his blonde bangs in its sharp talons and pulled as hard as it could.

Yami yowled in pain, opened his eyes….and found that he was in the tower again. In fact…he had never left the tower. The desert, the sun, the peace…it had all been a dream. But…how could that be? He did not remember falling asleep….

The youth then realized…that he did not feel the usual softness of his bangs resting against his face. He looked up….and saw a creature that was like a floating hairball with large eyes and green appendages hovering above him, clutching his blonde hair in its furry mouth. He yelped in surprise and the creature squeaked accordingly. It then dropped to the floor and hopped back into the darkness, almost as if it were…afraid.

Furrowing his eyebrows in confusion, Yami started to get up from whatever it was he was sitting on….but found he could not. He looked down in alarm…and found that he was completely tied up in the chair by some strange, brown rope. Panic surged through his veins, further clearing his groggy mind and he started to struggle…but the ropes would not budge. The youth looked down at his bonds….and his brows arched in perplexity once again. The restraint was soft and silky…not at all like a rough rope…

"Is this….hair?" he wondered aloud…and snapped his head to attention when a shuffling sound pricked his ears. He looked up….and saw a slim shape drop down from the ceiling beams…and hide in the shadows. He squinted, straining to see through the darkness….and the shape spoke.

"St….struggling is useless…." said a rather nervous-sounding voice…a girl's voice.

Yami was silent, his ruby eyes locked unflinchingly on the figure. It remained where it was for a moment…then slowly crept out of the darkness and into the light. The young man gasped…as he was now staring at the most beautiful girl he'd ever seen. She was around his age with a slender dancer's body clothed in a form-fitting light blue dress. Her skin was as pale as ivory…and her eyes, thickly lashed, were like sapphires. Dark chocolate bangs hung partially in those gemlike eyes...but it did not end there. The hair was so long he could not find its end…and it was the source of his immobility.

The girl stepped a little closer. Her eyes were narrowed…but he could see the faint traces of fear within them. She clutched a frying pan in her hand…and he suddenly knew how he had fallen asleep. Yami winced and prepared for the pain of a bruise to shoot through his skull…but it never came. In fact….he felt surprisingly well…but that did not make sense. He looked down at his arms…and gasped when he saw that the thorn wounds were gone. Had he just imagined receiving them…?

"How did you find me?" the brunette hissed presently, tearing him from his shocked contemplation.

He looked up at her and saw that she had moved even closer, the frying pan raised in her grip…and the fuzz ball from before floating next to her head. The little creature growled and narrowed its eyes at him, obviously protective of his mistress. Yami stared at it for a moment, then back at the girl. Her glare intensified and her knuckles grew white as they tightened on the pan handle.

"I'll ask you again…HOW did you find me? WHO are you?" 

The youth met those glorious azure eyes again. They glittered with determination and feistiness….but held not a trace of wickedness. He cleared his throat.

"I…my name is A…Yami." He croaked and kicked himself for his groggy, confused mind. "As for how I found you…it was by accident really."

The girl bit her lip, as if something frightened her. Then, she recovered, glared, and brandished the pot like a sword, slowly circling him. "I know why you came here….for my hair. What did you want to do? Cut it? SELL it?"

"Your HAIR?" the youth let all the incredulity creep into his face and voice. "What are you talking about? The only thing I want with your hair is to get out of it…literally."

"Don't lie to me!" she snapped and gave her hair a mighty tug. The chair tipped forward and Yami gasped, expecting to hit the ground…but her hand shot out and caught it so that he was precariously in danger of falling…but not unless she wanted him to do so. The girl stared him down with those oceanic eyes, her face only inches from his…and he felt his heart begin to pound.

"You came here to steal its power!" she growled.

"Miss…" Yami started.

"Tea."

"Miss Tea then…I came here because I was being chased. I was running through the woods and I needed somewhere to hide and to rest. I stumbled upon this tower. Literally…stumbled."

"YOU…wait…" the girl named Tea's delicate eyebrows raised with confusion. "You…what?"

"I was being chased by some men through the forest." Yami explained calmly. "I pressed up against your big wall of rock to stay out of their sight and fell through it. I followed the tunnel, found the tower, scaled it with some long thorns, and then got knocked out with that frying pan you are holding apparently."

"Really?" Tea asked, cocking her head to one side.

"Really."

The brunette stared at him for a long moment, then took a few steps away and turned her back to him. She grabbed her fuzz ball pet…and started to seemingly converse with him. Yami could not hear what they were saying…but they seemed to be debating something.

The youth took that time to tug at his hair restraints in hopes that he could break free. As he did…he noticed that something belonging to him….something quite important…was missing.

"My satchel!" Yami shouted in alarm. "What did you do with my satchel?"

The girl turned about and placed her hands on her hips. She gave a coy smile and cocked her head to one side in an expression that the young man could not help but think was cute despite the situation.

"Oh YOU'LL get it back…" Tea said, sidling back over to him. "That is…if you agree to a little deal first."

**Sorry, but I had to end it there XD. I hope you liked and please review ^_^!**


	5. Capture and Freedom

**I DO NOT OWN YUGIOH OR TANGLED**

**Heeeere's chapter five haha ^_^! Also, sorry for my misnaming the tavern in Tangled…I thought it was the Ugly Duckling but it's actually the Snuggly Duckling. My bad XD. Oh, and this chapter mostly covers what our devious thief has been doing….:). The OC is introduced in this chapter and I made her look a bit like Rapunzel.**

**Sailorblaze: Yup ^_^!**

**Aqua girl 007: The OC is going to look a bit like Rapunzel but her character will be different ^_^.**

**Sunrise Phoenix: Thanks! Hahah poor Yami…he's going to have a concussion by the time all this is over XD.**

**Vampiressbeauty20: Hahah thanks! He sure is *evil grin* XD.**

**The Real Contestshipping Princess: Hahah poor guy XD... Hahah escape time ^_^!  
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**SammiiTee: Aw, thank you! Revolutionshipping is my all-time favorite pairing ^_^. Hahaha, yup you may be right about the Pharaoh :). Oh, and your Destinies Intertwined story is coming long REALLY well by the way ^_^.**

**Kender20: Haha she is ^_^. Thanks, I was nervous about that scene since Flynn was such a flirt in the movie and Yami just…isn't XD. **

**Axalover11: Thanks!**

**MutantEnemy101: Mwahahahahaha XD! Haha, I actually didn't want to cut it off there but it was starting to get too long ^_^. So far, Yami does not have his puzzle. I may include it later, if I can think of some way to do so, but I'm not sure yet :).**

**X**

The sun had reached its peak of hotness in the light blue afternoon sky, shining down on the clearing with an incredible golden intensity. The rays did not inflict heat misery however, as those who stood next to the roaring waterfall were constantly cooled by its misty spray. Now that he was no longer running for his life, Bakura had to agree with Yami that this place was beautiful. Of course…just because he was no longer on the fly did not necessarily mean he was safe. No…the only reason he was not fleeing…was because he had been captured.

The royal guards were scattered around, talking, resting, and preparing their weapons and armor. Though they managed to keep their physical impulses under control, the men did not bother to conceal the expressions of contempt directed toward their fugitive.

The white-haired thief was sitting on a boulder next to the waterfall pool, his shirt carelessly tossed aside as one of the soldiers cleaned and bandaged the various arrow and thorn scrapes running along his arms and chest. None of them had impaled his body, but several of the gashes ran long and considerably deep.

Bakura winced as his healer moved to a particularly achy wound. "Ease up on the scrubbing, will you?"

The soldier glared up at him…and he could not help but flinch…not because he was intimidated by the look…but because he simply could not get used to the guard's face. For the soldier…was a young woman perhaps a bit younger than him. She had light blonde hair that she kept tied into a bun with a few strands hanging down on either side. Her eyes, feisty but not wicked, were a dark green with flecks of gold and her skin was almost as pale as his. The girl was a little shorter than him with a slender build but wore the bulky, clanking silver armor with just as much skill as the men.

Bakura studied that face for a long moment…and felt a smirk twist his lips as the memory of what had happened after Yami fell down to the valley below played in his mind.

_The tree gave a sickening final crack. Bakura cursed mentally, knowing that it was a matter of seconds before the roots snapped and sent both of them plummeting to what might be their deaths. He turned swiftly, planning to grab the satchel. There was no point in saving Yami…for it would take superhuman speed to pull him up and still make it off the tree before it collapsed. _

_The thief stepped forward on the precarious plant…and immediately regretted doing so. The cracking sound that resulted was piercing and sickening…as well as foreboding. This was it…there was no way he could turn and run back up the tree…he was going to fall. _

_The world seemed to fade into slow motion as the tree bowed downward. Bakura clenched his teeth and prepared to grab onto some stray branch…when a gloved hand gripped his shoulder from behind. He yelped and was yanked around and backward onto the ledge, right before the tree broke. _

_Bakura grunted as he landed chest-first atop the armor-clad torso of a helmet-wearing soldier. There was something…odd about his one however. He was slender, petite…and though he was banging on the thief's chest in an attempt to move him, his blows did not truly hurt. Perhaps it was a young squire…but then why was he clothed in full armor?_

"_Ugh…get…OFF…me…!" the knight shouted and the thief jerked in shock. He knew that voice…it was the voice of the soldier who had shouted, "There they are!" earlier on the hill….the voice he had heard and mistaken for the call of a young squire._

_Fueled by instinct, Bakura rose slightly off the figure but still sat on it, pinning its waist down. He reached up, pulled the helmet off…and dropped it in pure shock. Staring up at him…was neither the face of a royal's brat nor the rough visage of a battle-scarred soldier…but the delicate features of a young woman. She glared up at him, her jade eyes glittering with the fire of battle…yet backlit with a feminine softness. Her girlishly-full lips were curled into a snarl…yet he could only sit and stare in stunned motionlessness._

_The she-knight struck one last blow upon the fugitive's chest and, in his shock-relaxed state, he finally tumbled off to the side. Thief's instinct took over and he scrambled to his feet, ready to run…but his arms were seized by two other guards, these ones male and inescapably strong. He snarled and struggled but they held him with grips reminiscent of iron. _

_The young woman stood up and brushed the dirt from her armor. She then turned and glared at Bakura. The expression made his heart beat rapidly…but not out of fear. The two stared each other down for a long moment…before another voice spoke, making them both turn. _

"_So, one got away…" said a guard as he stepped toward them. His face was without a helmet, revealing proud, stern features, pale skin, neatly-combed brown hair, and cold blue eyes._

_In spite of his lack of facial protection, this knight's armor was far more impressive than that of the others. It was a very light silver, almost white with a slight blue tint to it. It ran along his arms, legs, and abdomen in sectioned plates, allowing a few glimpses of vulnerable black cloth to be seen through the cracks, but permitting easy movement. The chest plate was carved in the shape of an elegant dragon with a sapphire gem glittering as a decorative eye. The stone's blue color was further enhanced by a long, azure cape he wore. This man was no doubt of high rank…_

"_Captain Kaiba," began the she-knight, confirming Bakura's suspicions. "We have secured one of the most-wanted men of whom you spoke."_

_The soldier named Kaiba turned his azure glare in her direction. "But you let his accomplices and the treasure…GET AWAY."_

_The girl visibly swallowed and Bakura found he felt something like sympathy for her. He shook the feeling off as soon as it came, however. He could not feel any compassion for these royalty's drones…not after they had had no compassion for him. _

"_With all due respect sir…" the girl murmured in a voice that was every bit as feminine as her face. "…there was no way any of us could have gotten him out on that tree. It would have snapped under our weight…and you might have lost several good men while the thief still escaped."_

_Kaiba's glower further intensified and he took a threatening step toward his lesser soldier. The girl stared right back and did not move…but the thief could see the nervous clench in her jaw…the way her fingers curled reflexively into fists. _

_The captain unsheathed his sword, a silver-hilted weapon with a smooth, nearly translucent blade. Bakura actually jerked, thinking that this stick-in-the-mud was going to strike down his own soldier…but alas he did not. Instead, Kaiba turned…and made his way toward the restrained thief. _

"_Oh, well THAT'S just bloody perfect…" Bakura thought with more annoyance than fear. He was so used to being on the precarious threshold of life and death that in no longer frightened him. It merely irritated him now. _

"_Disgusting thief…" Kaiba growled as he stopped about a foot away from said criminal. "Stealing from the castle treasury…pathetic vermin who prey on others repulse me. I plan to exterminate every last one of them."_

_Bakura gave the man a crooked grin. "Ah, they do me as well. I'll be sure to let you know if I see any…wait...found one!" he inclined his head in the direction of Kaiba himself._

_The man's pale lips curled into a snarl and his face grew livid white. With one swift, powerful movement, he drove his knee into Bakura's stomach. The thief doubled over but did not fall due to the soldiers' grip on his arms. He gasped and coughed as the pain ricocheted through him, fearing for a moment that he was going to vomit. When his pain-clouded vision cleared, he found that he was staring down at Kaiba's black boots. He was tempted to spit on them…but decided not to push his luck._

_Clenching his jaw, Bakura slowly looked up at the man. Kaiba was staring down his nose at him, a smug smile of satisfaction on his relentless features. _

"_Consider yourself lucky, urchin," he sneered. "I don't have the time to waste on tormenting you when the king and queen's most prized treasure is in the hands of one of your despicable comrades. Therefore, I'll make this quick…."_

_The captain made an arcane gesture to his subordinates holding onto Bakura's arms. In response, one of them reached forward and kicked the thief's legs out from under him, forcing him into a kneeling position on the ground. Bakura grunted in irritation…but held his head low. He wasn't about to give his enemies the satisfaction of seeing any reaction on his face. He, on the other hand…could still see the captain's movements in the form of his shadow on the dusty ground. He was raising his sword…slowly…but surely._

_Bakura thought he heard the thudding of booted footsteps…but perhaps that was merely the beating of his own heart. He was not afraid…but there was a kind of thrill in the prospect of his final moments…in the remembrance of the odyssey that had resulted in his death. The snowy-haired youth closed his eyes…and they snapped back open when a voice cried out._

"_Wait!"_

_The sound of covered-flesh hitting covered-flesh reached his ears…and after several moments, he still did not feel the momentary jolt of pain before beheading. He stayed still for several more heartbeats…then cautiously looked up._

_The girl knight….had saved him. She stood, clutching her superior's arm in her gloved-fingers and staring unflinchingly into his face. Kaiba's eyes were like blue lightening as he glared at her._

"_WHAT?" the captain hissed. "Do not tell me that your GIRLISH WILES have led you so far astray as to feel sorry for this scum of the earth…"_

_The young woman's jaw tensed in buried anger but she controlled her temper. Bakura guessed she had a lot of practice doing that around this man. It seemed that whoever had decided to make a female into a knight held far more faith in her than he did._

"_Captain…" the girl began evenly. "The thief of the royal treasure, whoever he is, has no doubt ventured deep into the forest by now. We would have to round up a legion of our best hunters to track him through that labyrinth, and by the time we got that done he would probably by far gone out of the country."_

"_What is your point?" Kaiba asked in imitation patience._

"_My point…is that we should use someone who KNOWS him…someone who is familiar with the thinking patterns of a fugitive…" She turned her gold-green glance down at Bakura. "Who better to track a thief…than a fellow thief?"_

_Kaiba studied her for a long moment…then looked down at his prisoner. His face held an expression of thoughtful consideration that seemed foreign to his ruthless personality. _

"_Hmph…it's your lucky day, filth…" he mumbled begrudgingly after a few moments. "My drone, for once, has a valid argument…so I'll make you a deal. Lead us to your comrade, the one with the treasure…and we'll let you live."_

_Bakura rolled his eyes and smirked. "And WHY in the name of ZORC would I ever believe you?"_

_The captain hesitated for a moment, obviously wondering who or what Zorc was. Then, he narrowed his eyes…and said with absolute certainty, "I give you my word…and I never…EVER…break my word."_

_Bakura stared at him for several moments. As a thief, he could spot a liar from miles away…and this man held no traces of speaking false truth. Still, the thief was silent for minutes longer than necessary, simply to nettle his captors' leader. Finally, when Kaiba looked as though he were about to literally burst from impatience, he spoke._

"_All right. In exchange for my life AND a little money to help me get by…I will help you. But FIRST…I want these wounds on my arms caused by your cursed arrows to be GENTLY AND PROPERLY taken care of."_

_Kaiba growled but nodded to the guards. They roughly pulled Bakura to his feet and released their vice-like hold on his arms. The youth rubbed his hands over the spots, suspecting that there would be a nasty pair of bruises there the next day._

_One of the men who had been holding him clapped a hand on his shoulder and started to lead him away for medical attention…but Bakura jerked out of his grip and stepped backward._

"_Not you. You're no better than a hairless gorilla!" The thief snapped and crossed his aching arms over his chest. He was sure that he could see a vein pulsing in the guard captain's forehead now._

"_Well then…" Kaiba began with venomous distinctness. "…which of these soldiers do you want to tend to you?"_

_Bakura casually glanced around at the group. Each armored brute was uglier than the next and he had no qualms about facially displaying his disapproval. Eventually, however, his eyes landed on the golden-haired knight…and he gave a wolfish smile._

_Her eyebrows raised and he actually thought he saw a faint blush on her cheeks as she looked away. Kaiba glanced back at her…and turned to Bakura with a slight smirk on his lips. _

"_All right then. She will tend to you and afterward, she will accompany you on your journey to find the criminal. Go. Get your wounds treated but don't take too long. You've caught me in a good mood…but that won't last if you delay me."_

_ The snowy-haired thief smirked as he walked toward the she-knight. "If that's the case…I'd hate to see you in a foul mood."_

As he reflected on this part of the memory, Bakura's smirk further deepened. The girl, failing to guess his thoughts, glared deeper and demanded, "What?"

The thief snapped to attention and he refocused on her. Her eyes were still narrowed…and there was a shadow of deep, knowing frustration within them, as if….she thought she knew what he was about to say.

"I was just thinking about your lovely captain," he said with the casualness of a teatime converser rather than a criminal on probation. "Is he always that nice?"

The girl's eyes lightened slightly with what looked like surprise. Her lips twitched, as if she was trying not to smile, and she returned her gaze to her work.

"Pretty much…of course it's not our duty to be civil to CRIMINALS."

"Point taken, dearie, but I meant to YOU," the thief replied with calm frankness. "Why does he treat you like dirt?"

She bit her lip, from sadness or anger he was not sure. "I'm…different from the other soldiers…" the she-knight muttered quietly.

Bakura tilted his head to one side. "How so?"

The girl looked up at him, not bothering to hide the surprise on her face this time. Her eyebrows furrowed slightly and he could practically see the internal struggle within her as she studied his face. Finally, she seemed to decide on acceptance of his remark…but kept her wary soldier's demeanor.

The wounds on his arms had been treated. All that remained was the nasty red and purple bruise stretching across his pale stomach from Kaiba's knee. She traced around the bruise with her delicate fingers, slender and pale without the bulky gloves. The young man winced and she shot him a quick glance…in which he thought he glimpsed sympathy.

The girl grabbed the rag she'd been using to clean his wounds and set to gently wiping the hideous bruise. With this done, she spread a healing ointment over it. Bakura found himself shivering at her touch…though he was not sure why. She grabbed a clean white bandage torn from a spare tunic and used it to gently bind the wound. After wrapping it around a few times, his healer tied a knot in the fabric…and hesitated a few moments before standing up straight again.

"Heh…Enjoying the view?" Bakura smirked, relaxing back on the stone as the sun warmed his bare chest.

The girl's eyes went wide and her face turned cherry red. He threw his head back and laughed. This turned out to be a mistake…for she scowled, reached forward, and shoved him backward off the rock. Bakura landed flat on his back in ankle deep water and lay there in shock for several minutes. Upon regaining his bearings, he sat up in the shallow pool to see the knight standing on the shore several feet away from him.

The blonde had her hands on her hips, a single eyebrow arched. She reached down, grabbed his shirt off the ground, and literally threw it at him. The azure fabric hit him in the face and he grabbed it before it could fall into the water. Grunting, the thief pulled the shirt away from his eyes…just in time to see his healer marching away.

"Can I at least know the name of the knight with whom I am going to be working?" he called after her retreating back.

The young woman stopped. She hesitated for a moment…and then murmured, "It's Drearose."

"Drearose…" Bakura murmured the name more to himself than to her. "Well…my name is Bakura."

Drearose stood motionless for several minutes. Finally, she glanced over her shoulder, gave a slight nod…and walked away.

"We leave as soon as you're ready…make that be soon."

X

"I have hidden your precious satchel somewhere you'll never find it," Tea announced, crossing her arms over her chest in triumph.

The stranger, Yami, cocked one of those elegant, ebony brows at her She felt that odd warm sensation spread across her cheeks and had force herself to concentrate. She could not back down simply because he was the most handsome man she'd ever beheld…well, he was the ONLY man she had ever beheld…

Yami looked around for a moment…and his hypnotic crimson eyes settled...on the place where she'd hidden his satchel. He looked at her, smirked, and asked, "It is inside that pot, is it not?"

Tea's heart lurched in irritation. How could he possibly have guessed it…? She would have to hide it again….to conceal it somewhere where he would truly never find it…and in order to do that…he would have to be completely unaware as to what she was doing.

The girl glanced back at him, sighed…and smacked him in the head once again with her trusty frying pan. Yami's face registered a millisecond of surprise before he slumped into unconsciousness for the third time that afternoon. Tea stared at him for a long moment and allowed herself a small, nervous chuckle. He was really going to be angry when he woke up….again.

She bounded over to the decorative vase and pulled her prisoner's satchel out of it. Then, the brunette looked around, biting her lip as she tried to think of an ideal place to hide the treasure. She couldn't place it under her bed…that would be an obvious location. Cabinets, pots, beneath rugs, and curtains were out as well…so where…?

Tea continued to scan over the tower…and froze when her eyes landed on the wooden staircase. The bottom step…had a sizable crack where the top board was loose. All she would have to do…was pull.

Grinning, the girl scrambled over to the stairs and dropped to her knees. She pulled on the poorly-built board…and as she had hoped, it came free, revealing the dark, boxy niche within. She stuffed the satchel into the crevice, placed the board back in place…and slowly stood up. Tea studied the hiding place for a long moment before nodding in satisfaction and strolling back over to the unconscious intruder. He would never find it there…no matter how good he was.

Kuriboh was perched on the top of the chair near Yami's head. He stared at his mistress with a bored expression until she finally laughed and nodded at him. The fuzz ball squeaked in excitement, rose into the hair, grabbed a mouthful of the young man's blonde locks…and pulled with all his strength.

Yami awoke with a yell of pain, nearly toppling the chair over with the force of his surprise. He blinked a few times, then narrowed his eyes in irritation when he realized what must have happened.

"Ugh, would you STOP doing that?" he snapped, glaring at the furry creature.

Kuriboh spat out his the hair, rolled his eyes in a taunting manner, and floated back to Tea. The girl gave a triumphant grin and crossed her arms over her chest.

"NOW it's hidden somewhere you'll never find it," she announced proudly.

"Are you EVER going to answer my questions without knocking me out first?" the youth exclaimed in incredulity.

"That depends…" Tea remarked coolly. "…on whether or not you start asking the RIGHT questions."

Yami sighed and closed his eyes wearily. He kept them closed for a long moment…and when he finally opened them, they were calm and complacent.

"Look….what is it going to take for me to get my satchel back?"

The girl grinned. "THAT, my prisoner…is the right question."

Tea gave her hair a tug, causing the chair to turn so that it faced a different wall. This wall….held the painting she'd done that morning….the mural of the night sky that added mystery to her every birthday. She pulled on the hair rope once more and thought she heard a clatter over her shoulder…but was far too engrossed in her next statement to pay attention.

"So…Yami…do you now what THESE are?" she gestured to the painted light-strewn sky with her frying pan and turned around. She cringed and nearly burst out laughing when she saw that the chair…had fallen over…and the intruder was lying face first on the floor.

Yami groaned and struggled to turn his head so that he could see to what she was referring. His ruby eyes studied the mural and he asked, "You mean the lantern thing they do for the princess?"

"Lanterns…." Tea gasped and slowly turned back to her painting. "I…I knew they weren't stars…Well…" she resumed her brisk, interrogator's front. "…tomorrow evening, they will light the night sky with these lanterns. You will act as my guide, take me to these lanterns, and return me home safely. Then…and ONLY then…will I return your precious satchel to you."

"Yes, well…" the youth grunted and jerked his body, forcing the chair onto its side. "…the kingdom and I aren't exactly on favorable terms at the moment…so I'm afraid I won't be taking you ANYWHERE."

Tea's jaw clenched in irritation and she glanced down at Kuriboh. The puff ball narrowed his eyes at her and gave a low growl, signifying what HE thought they should do with the young man. The girl gave a subtle shake of her head, glared fiercely at Yami…and began slowly walking toward him. She pulled on her hair as she went, bringing the chair back up into its correct position.

"Yami….something brought you here…" she said in a low voice. "Call it what you will…fate…destiny…"

"Dumb luck?" he mumbled, a deadpan expression on his handsome features.

"I have made the decision to trust you…" Tea continued, now only a few steps away from him.

Yami rolled his eyes. "A horrible decision, really. I am currently in a position to be about as reliable as…" his voice broke off as the girl slammed her hands on either arm of the chair, her fiery blue eyes glaring determinedly into his blood gems.

"…but TRUST ME when I say…that you can tear this tower down, brick by brick…and you will NEVER find your belongings without MY help."

He said nothing, obviously waiting for her to continue. She did, with the same level of intenseness but less iciness. "However…if you help me…I promise that I will give it back to you."

The youth retained his silence, his gaze never leaving hers. His eyebrows furrowed slightly and his jaw clenched with obvious tension.

Seeing the shadow of doubt in his eyes, the girl added, "And when I promise something…I never….EVER…break that promise. EVER."

Yami's ruby eyes studied her for a long, breathless moment. For the first time…Tea noticed how deep, piercing…and uncommonly wise they seemed. She felt…as if she were lost in their fiery color…it was an unnerving, almost supernatural sensation. Finally, he sighed…and nodded slowly.

"Fine…I will take you to see the lanterns."

A thrilled jolt ran through Tea's heart and she could not help but jump in excitement. "Really?" she squealed…and winced as her sharp movement caused the chair to topple over again.

Yami moaned and turned his face from the tile floor to look up at her. "Yes, really…as long as you can accompany me without breaking my head…and that includes with your cursed frying pan."

Tea studied him for a long moment…and finally gave him a small, sincere smile. "It's a deal."

Minutes later, Tea was standing at the window sill, her hair wrapped around the hook…and her azure eyes locked on Yami as he made his precarious way down to the ground. He was using what looked like especially long thorns to scale down the stone…a rather dangerous method, but effective. The young man glanced up at her staring down at him…and he gave a slight half smile.

"Well? Are you coming?"

Tea took a deep, shaky breath and gazed at the world beyond. The vast blue sky…the iron grey mountains…the sea of lush, green foliage…the cool, clear bodies of water…it was all so large…so incredibly free. She glanced at Kuriboh who floated next to her, patiently waiting for her to make the move…to cross the threshold into her future.

"Do….do I even dare…?" she murmured fearfully.

Kuriboh's large eyes crinkled into an encouraging smile. He nodded eagerly…and she let out the breath she hadn't even realized she'd been holding. The fuzz ball was right…this was her only chance…and she would be a fool not to seize it.

The girl's fingers tightened on her hair….and with a swift, graceful movement, she leaped off the tower window. She slid down rapidly, the cool air rushing through her and creating an amazing feeling of exhilaration. As she descended, Tea caught sight of Yami's shocked face and that only made her grin widen.

Laughing, she glanced down at the ground…and froze, squeezing her hair to stop her descent. For the grassy ground…was a mere foot underneath her…and all she had to do…was touch down to it. Tea stared at the green earth for what seemed like an eternity….and slowly lowered her bare feet.

The grass was soft…amazingly soft as she had always imagined it. It was slightly damp with dew…and that only made it all the more pleasant. Beaming with ecstasy, the girl dropped to her knees and lay on it, breathing in its crisp scent mixed with the sweetness of a few wildflowers.

Tea rolled onto her back so that she was staring up at the sky…and let out a laugh of pure joy. No longer was she surrounded by the bleak, dark walls of that cursed tower. Now…she was outside…the only things encompassing her being air, trees, and golden sunlight.

After eighteen years…Tea was finally free.

**FREEDOM! XD I've seen that poptarts commercial one too many times haha. I hope you liked and please review!**

**I DO NOT OWN YUGIOH OR TANGLED (or poptarts XD)**


	6. Trust and Turmoil

**I DO NOT OWN YUGIOH OR TANGLED**

**Chapter six is up ^_^! By the way if anyone was wondering where in the name of Ra I got the name "Drearose", it's a mix of "Drea" which is short for Andrea and means "warrior" and of course the flower rose ^_^.**

**Sunrise Phoenix: Thanks! Haha you may be right :).**

**Sailorblaze: Hahah it's like season 0 all over again XD. **

**Aqua girl 007: Thanks ^_^! I thought it would be odd for him to stick is tongue in Yami's ear so I went with the hair instead XD.**

**Axalover101: ^_^**

**The Real Contestshipping Princess: Adventure time ^_^! Hahahah yup you may be right :).**

**MutantEnemy101: Aw, I'm glad it helped :). Nothing like a little fanfiction therapy, eh XD? Hahahah poor Yami is so abused…**

**Lioutenant Flame: Hahah I know right XD?**

**Kender20: Thanks ^_^!**

**Darky2510: Thank you :)! He was really fun to make. I agree it is strange…There are plushies for just about every anime except Yugioh XD. There are some girls on deviant art who make and sell Yugioh plushies…they're expensive but really well made. **

**LadyCathy: Haha you got it ^_^! He has quite the different tale. Thanks, she's kind of like Joey to Kaiba…you know how Kaiba never acknowledges Joey as a true duelist, he doesn't think of Drearose as a real knight :). Unfortunately I don't think the singing is going to work (since Tea dances instead of sings in this) but I might have all of them dance in the tavern XD.**

**Vampiressbeauty20: Thanks ^_^! Hahah, hi, Didyme! **

**DarkAngelBattis: Thank you ^_^! Haha poor Yami XD…**

**X**

"I'm free….I'm finally free!" Tea cried, leaping with unbridled ecstasy. She was standing in a shallow, glittering pool of water, splashing in its cool embrace with her bare feet. If she was this excited having stepped only a few feet away from her tower home…who knew how dramatic her reaction would be once they reached civilization.

Still…Yami could not help but smile as he watched the girl. She ran across the emerald blanket of grass, tripping over her incredibly long hair every so often and tumbling to the ground. Even then, she would laugh and roll onto her back, breathing in the crisp, life-giving scent of nature.

_"Bakura would not be impressed…"_ Yami thought with an audible chuckle of amusement.

The girl, hearing the laugh and mistaking it for being at her expense, turned with a fiery expression on her pretty features. "What? You'd be celebrating too if you had been cooped up in a lonely tower your whole life!" She punctuated her defiant statement with another cheerful laugh and stationary twirl.

The youth smirked lightly, as if the words had bounced right off…but in truth, they sent his mind far, far away. In a way…he did know what it was like to be cooped up…to long from adventure away from the usual, mundane, everyday life he was used to…but he also knew what it was like to finally gain that freedom….and be burdened with a painful desire to return to one's old life. Yami could feel his frown and heart sinking ever deeper and was relieved when the girl's excited voice distracted him again.

"Imagine if Mother knew what I was doing!" Tea exclaimed lightly…and froze suddenly. "Wait….Mother…."

What followed this thought was what Yami frequently remembered as the perfect visual display of inner turmoil. As they wandered idly out of the rock tunnel and into the open forest, he watched with great curiosity and some amusement as Tea went rapidly back and forth from leaping in joy at her escape…to extreme guilt over some sort of disobedience. The girl would go from spinning on her elegant dancer's feet and becoming happily entangled in her long hair…to lying on the ground, moaning into the dirt that she was a "despicable human being." She cheered and squealed that she was never returning to "that dismal crypt"…then lectured herself with a fierce, degrading diatribe.

Finally, the duo reached a forest path with a large, twisting tree. It had thick roots curling out of the ground and began a series of other tress, creating a canopy over the road that allowed only a few shreds of light to peek through. Yami was anxious to keep going…to get away from this no doubt soldier-traveled path…but could only stand and watch helplessly as Tea sat down next to one of the twisting roots, her head buried in her arms as her inner battle reached its ultimate low.

Her guide leaned casually against the tree's trunk scrutinizing her for a long moment. His amusement had long since faded, replaced by curiosity. Yami had only absorbed a few segments of information in her rants…but it sounded like her current state was the result of a mother-enforced rule to never leave the tower. He wondered why they lived there…why the girl's mother insisted that they never leave. The former thief wanted badly to ask…bit he could not break his own rule of keeping others out of his personal business and, in turn, staying out of there's. Even so…he did not like seeing her so distressed….if only there was something he could do….

Yami's eyes lit up as a thought entered his brain. Perhaps there was a way to ease her guilt…and make his burden of risking traveling with her disappear at the same time. It would be crafty and, to his shame, leaning toward the way of the thief as he preyed on her guilt…but it might be the best decision for both of them.

Sighing, he pushed away from the trunk and went to kneel beside Tea. He was so close…he could see the tiny, elegant designs etched into her blue dress…the way the sleeves and bodice were tight, showing off a beauteous slender figure. Her chocolate hair flowed down on either side of her like a dark, silky waterfall, seeming to envelope the girl as she curled in upon herself. A deep blush colored his cheeks and he shook his head, forcing himself to concentrate.

Yami gingerly moved forward on his knees and winced when a twig broke loudly beneath his weight. He shot a worried glance at Tea. She didn't look up, keeping her head firmly buried in her arms. The youth glanced at the puff ball creature, Kuriboh. He was bouncing around a few feet away, chasing a bright yellow butterfly. He hardly seemed to notice his mistress's turmoil…which meant that he would not be hovering by, suspicious about the stranger's strangely accommodating words.

Yami took a deep breath…and lightly placed his hand on her back. When he did, he felt as though a jolt of electricity had shot through him…yet he had no desire to let go. "Look…I cannot help but notice that you seem to be a little…at war with yourself."

Tea's shoulders tensed in surprise beneath his palm. She looked up at him, her azure eyes slightly bloodshot. "What…?" she murmured with tired perplexity.

"I'm only picking up bits and pieces…" Yami continued. "An overprotective mother, isolated tower, forbidden trip…these are serious matters. However…they are a perfectly normal, healthy part of growing up."

Her eyes lit up. "Really?"

Yami smiled encouragingly…but felt a sharp pang of guilt rush through him. He couldn't believe he was doing this to this girl…but he really had no other choice.

"Of course," he replied. "Rebellion, adventure…it's all a normal part of ascending to adulthood. Does your mother deserve it? No. Would it break her heart and crush her soul? Of course it would…"

Tea's eyes grew wide with horror. "B…break her heart…?"

"In half…"

"Crush her…SOUL…?" the girl whimpered, tugging at her long locks of hair in anxiety.

He nodded solemnly.

Tea's face was pale and frantic now…and Yami's guilt grew exceedingly worse….but he had to be rid of this girl…for his sake and hers.

"Y…you were right…" the brunette was saying, her hands now rapidly combing through the chocolate strands. "I shouldn't have done this…"

"I suppose I am right…" Yami gave an exaggerated sigh. He gently took Tea's arm, helping her to her feet. "Well…there is only one thing I can do for you now. I must let you out of our deal…"

"What…?" the girl gave him a confused look.

Yami knelt down and grabbed the iron frying pan that was leaning against one of the gnarled tree roots. He then went over to Kuriboh, picked the surprised furry creature up, and literally tossed him into Tea's arms.

"Now…here's your pan and your dust bunny…" He put a gentle arm around her shoulders and began rather forcefully leading her back up the way from which they had come. "I'll return you home and get my satchel back…You will regain a mother/daughter relationship based on mutual trust…and we part ways as unlikely friends. What do you say?"

The girl's head was bobbing rapidly as she struggled to keep up with his persuasive words. The youth had really begun to hope that he would get away with his clever if not guilt-ridden scheme…when she put on the brakes and shot him a determined glare.

"No!" Tea snapped. "I am seeing those lanterns!" She pulled away from him and crossed her arms over her chest in an obvious display of inflexibility.

Yami threw his head back and groaned loudly. "By the GODS could you be any more stubborn? Please just give me back my satchel and we can skip all this drama!"

In response, Tea held up her frying pan. The young man flinched and shied backward as she growled, "I will use this…"

Before he could reply, however…a faint rustling noise caught their attention. They both turned…and saw the green foliage a few yards away shaking and bobbing about. The girl gave a terrified yelp and leapt behind her guide, clambering onto his back and wrapping her legs around his waist. She wound her arms around his neck, nearly choking him.

"What is it?" Tea asked frantically, her azure eyes peeking out from behind his unruly hair. "Thugs? Ruffians? Have they come for me?"

Yami gagged and grabbed her clenched hands with one of his, pulling them away from his throat. He used his free hand to reach back and support her calf, preventing both of them from falling over. She held onto him even tighter…and he could smell the sweet, peachy scent of her hair. In spite of the shock and physical discomfort…he couldn't help but blush furiously at their current position.

Fire and ice eyes stayed locked on the foreboding bushes for a long moment. They rustled and shook loudly in the woodsy silence…before something finally came out. It was a small, white rabbit, curiously sniffing the ground in search of its next meal.

The two youths stared at it for a long moment…before letting out breaths that neither of them had realized they'd been holding. Tea's body relaxed slightly and she sighed in relief, letting her forehead lean wearily against her protector's neck.

Yami turned his head to glance back at the brunette clinging like a monkey to his back. He gave a half smirk and, with his usual rapier wit, muttered, "Look out…it can probably smell fear."

He felt the girl's face heat on the back of his neck. She released her grip on him and dropped to the ground, shuffling backward and bouncing her frying pan from hand to hand in an embarrassed movement. "S-Sorry…I guess I'm just a little jumpy…" she giggled self-consciously.

Yami smiled, feeling a faint flush color his own pale cheeks. "It would probably be best to avoid, as you said, 'thugs and ruffians' though…"

Tea laughed. "Yeah…probably."

The youth smiled as he watched her play nervously with her silky dark hair, her ivory cheeks slightly pink and her sapphire eyes glittering. She looked so lovely…he would hate to see a villain, of any sort, get his cruel hands on her….

Yami jerked in sudden realization. Maybe there was a way to get her home…and to make her think that it was her own idea. All he would have to do was show her the dangers she feared…and based on her reaction at the rabbit, she would be practically dragging him back to her tower. They just needed to pay a little visit to one of his and Bakura's most infamous recruitment grounds…

"Say…" Yami began, crossing his arms over his chest and tilting his head to one side in a casual manner. "Are you hungry, Tea? Because I know the perfect place for lunch…"

Tea looked at him, her face alit with new interest. "Really? Where?"

He grinned and grabbed her hand. "Oh, it's quite the pleasant, unique place…I'm sure you'll like it."

Yami raised his brows enticingly and the girl, slowly, tentatively, smiled back. He then turned and ran off with her, the floating hairball bouncing along at their heels. As they went…he felt her fingers hang loose at first…but gradually wrap around his own hand…and another shadow of guilt settled upon him. Tea truly seemed to trust him…and he was using her naivety against her at every turn. He shook his head, brushing the thought away. It was for her own good…and for his too.

The main thing on which he had to focus was keeping her safe at the place to where he was taking her. For the Torike Tavern was indeed "unique"…but it was far from pleasant.

X

"Hey!" Bakura shouted impatiently from his perch on the waterfall boulder. "Are you ready yet, blondie?"

The thief was rewarded with a female growl sounding from the trees and he grinned in response. There were only a few idle knights remaining at the site, the rest, including the captain, having returned to the city.

Before departing, Kaiba had thrown a dark, leather knapsack at Drearose. The captain informed his female soldier that she had to remove her armor and travel looking like a normal villager through the forest so as not to alert the fugitive with her clamorous, "clanking and tripping about" as he had so rudely put it. The young woman had glared daggers at her superior…but she had stiffly complied in the end.

Now, Drearose had taken the sack of clothing and gone off into the trees to change while her guide waited. More than once, the idle soldiers waiting to ensure their fellow agent's safe departure had tried to sneak over to where she was changing. Bakura had then taken it upon himself to grossly insult them, distracting them from the prospect of catching a glimpse of her. It was quite generous of him, he knew…but he was not complaining about unleashing a bit of well-deserved verbal abuse against those lazy, greedy royalty drones. Even so…he wished Drearose would hurry up…for it was nearly lunch time and he was hungry.

Bakura sighed and leaned his head back, listening to the peaceful sound of the rushing waterfall. Oh, how he wished he could just stay here…and relax in the sun and water. He didn't want to go gallivanting through the forest, tracking down a former work associate. Thought he knew he would eventually get bored and desire some sort of mischief…at the moment he wanted nothing more than stillness and tranquility.

A devious smile twisted the rogue's lips. He could always…loose the girl in the forest…go into a "bad part of town" and leave her to fend for herself as he was quite sure she could do. Then he could rest for awhile before really tracking down his ex-partner…and wrenching that crown from Yami's fingers if the occasion called for it.

The bushes several yards away rustled and a soft padding on the dirt road told Bakura that his "new associate" had finished dressing. He turned, opening his mouth to make a scathingly witty comment…and felt the words die on his lips. His throat went dry…and his heart began to pound in his chest as he gazed upon the female knight…turned villager girl.

Drearose was dressed in a long-sleeved dress that hung slightly off her shoulders. The fabric was green and tight around her torso, leading to a black belt and sword sheath around her slender waist, and flowing down around her legs. The sleeves were taut as they traveled down her arms and expanding into a long bell-shape around her hands. Her golden hair was still pulled into a bun but had a few more strands hanging down, most likely from getting her hair caught in tree branches as the thief well understood.

Bakura leapt from the boulder and stood ridiculously straight as the warrior beauty approached. He did not even realize he had done so until she cocked a confused brow at him…and he remembered to breathe. The thief inhaled and exhaled softly, willing his heart to slow down. He had to stop this foolishness. She was not the only attractive girl he'd ever seen…and yet he was acting as if she was.

Drearose stopped two feet away from him and placed her hands on her hips. "So, are we ready to go?"

Bakura nodded, swallowing rapidly to cure the dryness of his throat. "Yes, I believe we are…" he answered and darted his eyes around frantically, in search of something, anything upon which he could bury his discomfort with witticisms. His gaze landed on the straggler soldiers…and a sardonic grin twisted his features.

"Of course…before we leave…you may want to inform your fellow warriors to close their mouths before they swallow a fly."

The blonde's expression wrinkled with confusion and she slowly turned around. Sure enough…the three men were standing there, gawking at her stupidly, their mouths gaping open. Drearose gave an audible snarl and made some sort of unknown, apparently dismissive gesture. The men abruptly closed their traps, gave her wounded looks…and clanked away in the direction Kaiba had gone.

Once they were over the hill and out of sight, Drearose turned back to Bakura. Her expression was annoyed and a little embarrassed.

"NOW can we go?" she asked with the impatience of someone who wanted desperately to get out of an uncomfortable situation.

The thief nodded absently…but as he turned to lead…he froze. Before he could stop himself, he reached out, grasped a small twig that had become entangled in the girl's golden hair, and gently pulled it loose. As he recoiled his hand, Bakura twisted the twig around in the air before her face, hoping to distract the knight from the sudden red color of his…and himself from the mortification of what he had just done. What was wrong with him? Was his rapidly thudding heart so foolish that it would possess his body, just to get close to this young woman?

Swallowing hard, Bakura tossed the twig aside and finally risked a glance at her face. When he did…he found that Drearose was blushing just as deeply as he was. Her green eyes searched his eyes of chocolate for a long moment…before she cleared her throat and gave his shoulder a push.

"Let's get going," she said briskly.

"Y-yes…" Bakura replied, mentally cursing the stutter in his voice as led her into the woods near the waterfall.

After a few minutes of awkwardly silent walking, the duo managed to find a safe path leading down into the valley in which Yami had fallen. When they finally reached the low-level, grassy clearing, they scanned around, searching for some sort of clue as to where the young man had escaped.

Bakura's eyebrows furrowed as he scanned the sun-kissed earth. While it was true that he was good at finding things…especially of those things involved treasure…he was not positive that he would be able to locate Yami. He could be on a boat headed to some distant land for all the snowy-haired thief knew…but he was not about to back out of his chance at freedom.

It seemed that Drearose was having similar doubts…for when Bakura looked up, he saw those bright green eyes inspecting him with curiosity…and worry. A sudden, clever thought entered his brain. This knight looked determined…even desperate to find Yami…perhaps…if he made her think he could not or would not do the job of tracking him…she would storm off to find Yami herself. He smirked and folded his arms behind his head in a casual manner, staring right back at her.

After a few moments of this, the girl inquired, "Well? Anything?"

The thief cocked his head to one side…and answered the question with another question. "Why are you so determined to find my former accomplice? If I were you, I would just brush it off like the other soldiers and go back to your nice, cozy home in the village." He sighed dramatically and kicked a small pebble with his booted foot. "All this seems like far too much effort for MY taste…"

Drearose stared at him in obvious shock for a long moment. Then…her eyes narrowed…and he felt a chill or perhaps thrill rush through his veins.

"Oh…so you think I should just go home and lounge around in the guardhouse feasting on ham and turkey and beer like those other idiots?" she growled, stepping toward him in a slow, threatening manner. "Or maybe you think I'm just a silly little girl like every else. Well…for your information I take my duty as a knight of the royal army seriously! Far unlike some of the fools under Kaiba's leadership! He had no more respect for them than I but he at least treats them with some civility because he thinks they can do their job when it comes down to it!"

She was only a few feet away now, her shoulders heaving with anger. Bakura opened his mouth to say something but she cut him off.

"When it comes to ME…he doesn't think I have one SHRED of a chance! Therefore, I'm going to prove to him that I do! We'll catch the fugitive thanks to MY suggestion and even if he takes full credit for it…I don't care. I'll at least be more than a piece of dirt in his eyes!"

The girl stopped, now only a foot away from Bakura. The thief stared into her jade eyes, shocked and seemingly hypnotized by their inner fire. Suddenly, she unsheathed her silver blade and leapt backward, aiming the point directly at his throat.

Drearose murmured, "…I need your help to find him. I don't like it any more than you do…but I don't have the tracking skills necessary for the job. And if you have the GAUL to betray me after I saved your life…" she held the deadly point even closer to his flesh. "…Then I'll hunt YOU down…no matter how long it takes."

Bakura stared not at the weapon…but at the girl's strained face. Her hand was shaking as she clutched the sword. She did not want to hurt him…but it was obvious that she felt she might have no other choice. It suddenly dawned on him…that her heart…her feelings…were much like his. They were both shunned to a degree by society…both condemned before they were given even the slightest splinter of a chance. He sighed, placed the back of his hand against the blade, and pushed it aside.

"All right…" Bakura began calmly, stuffing his hands rather uncomfortably into his pockets. He wasn't used to being this…complacent. "..it is quite obvious that we need each other…so MAYBE…just maybe…we will be able to work this little partnership out. However…that will ONLY work if you invest a little confidence in me. In return…I shall do my best to do the same for you. Deal?"

Drearose studied him for a long moment. Those emerald eyes searched his, as if searching for any signs of untruth. Finally, she sheathed her blade…and gave a quick, sharp nod. Bakura smiled. It probably was not the wisest decision on her part to trust him…but then again…she had him intrigued. Maybe he would stick around…for a bit.

The thief turned, glanced back at the ground…and froze. He knelt down to the earth…and stared at the faintest trail of a footprint on the earth. The markings would have been invisible to most hunters…but his perceptive, thief's eyes could see them with considerable clarity…and recognized the pattern of Yami's boot. He had long-since made it a practice to sneak a look at all his past partner's shoes in case he ever needed to track them down due to a betrayal or some other unpleasant matter.

Bakura stood up slowly, his chocolate eyes never leaving the trail. Without looking away, he reached over, grabbed Drearose's hand, and began dragging her along with him.

"Come on! I've found a trail!"

The girl was stiff with surprise at first…but gradually loosened up and allowed herself to be dragged through the woods by her unlikely ally.

X

Unfortunately…as the knight/thief duo were walking and talking through the forest…they did not notice a certain red-haired, overly-made up woman hiding in the foliage. Chono clutched at the bark of a tree, watching and listening to the young people.

"A knight and thief searching for a fugitive…" the woman's blue eyes narrowed in contemplation. "…a fugitive who disappeared into the forest…whose tracks were seen around the valley beneath the waterfall…" her breath caught in her throat. "TEA!"

Chono turned frantically and tore off through the trees, pushing aside limbs and bushes as she went. More than once, her hair was caught in a low-hanging branch and an apple or two fell from the basket she was carrying…but Chono did not care. She had to get back to the tower…to ensure that Tea was still locked within it.

She reached the stone structure in record time and stood staring up at its lone window. A few grey clouds were rolling in, blotting out the sun…and further intensifying the dark feelings settling on her already black heart.

"Oh, Tea!" she called with false cheeriness laced with desperation. "Let down your hair!"

Silence. The woman waited anxiously for several minutes, her heartbeat thudding in her own ears. When her daughter did not appear, Chono threw her basket down and raced around to the back of the tower.

Panting with ever-increasing panic, the redhead seized one of the stones in the tower, digging her sharp fingers into the cracks. It came away easily, as did several other stones that had been placed there…to conceal the tower's secret dower. Once she had finished removing the bricks, Chono's arms were aching and her fingernails were caked with grout, but she didn't care.

Chono raced up a spiraling flight of stone steps, making her way through the tower's inner tunnel. It was black as a night without stars and more than once she ran straight through a disgusting cobweb, but she never slowed her pace. Finally, the woman emerged out of the secret hatch in her bedroom and scrambled up and out of the shadowed chamber into the tower's main area.

It was dark…terribly dark in fact. Though the window through which she usually entered was open, it allowed only a small band of sunlight into the eerie room. It was still also…and deadly quiet. The curtains hung limp…the floors were icy cold…and there was no creaking of footsteps in the ceiling rafters.

"Tea?" Chono called, struggling to hide the quaver in her voice.

No one answered. Chono then proceeded to race frenetically about, throwing aside curtains and pushing over chairs as she searched for her daughter…the daughter…who was missing. Breath coming in short gasps, she turned and started up the stairs…but her foot caught on the bottom step and she fell.

Cursing in pain and frustration, the woman glanced back at the step…and gasped when she saw that the top board had come loose…and something had been hidden within the boxy, uncovered crevice. With trembling fingers, she reached in and pulled out a brown leather satchel.

Chono stared at the article for a long, heart-stopping moment. This object did not belong to her…and she was sure it was not Tea's. Also…it felt heavy with the weight of something inside it. She stuck her hand into the bag's folds…and her fingers closed around something cool and metal. The woman's eyes narrowed and she pulled the thing out. It was a silver crown encrusted with a few sapphires, its undoubtedly royal splendor gleaming in the lack of light.

Chono gasped in genuine terror and threw the tiara halfway across the room. It clattered onto the hard tile floor and rolled, stopping near the open window. There it rested, gleaming with silver and azure beauty…taunting the one who had discarded it.

She hugged the satchel to her chest as if it were a lifeline, breathing with barely contained hysteria. Her flower was gone…and what if she had left…because she knew the truth? As she squeezed the leather object…Chono heard a crinkling noise within it…so she reached into the satchel again. This time, the woman removed a sheet of paper…a paper with the words, "Wanted: Dead or Alive" printed upon its yellowing surface. Beneath the harsh words were two images…one of a white-haired youth whose nose seemed poorly drawn…and one of a young man with spiky hair and dark, piercing eyes.

Chono studied the page for several minutes, committing the two faces to memory. Then…with wickedly gleaming eye and clenched jaw…she stood up and walked over to a small side table. She pulled open a drawer situated beneath the table's surface…and removed a sharp, glinting, silver dagger.

Chono held the small but deadly weapon rather limply in her hand for a long moment. She closed her eyes, feeling the coolness of the metal against her anger-heated flesh. She would find her daughter…and punish the one who had taken her. The woman's grip on the hilt tightened…she opened her eyes…and glared with a look of venomous hatred…at the face of the unruly-haired young man.

**Heheh sorry for no "Snuggly Duckling" this chapter but I had to get all that out of the way before I even thought about that XD. I hope you liked and please review! The next chapter or the one after that may be a bit delayed (just by a few days) because I'll be having a busy weekend :).**

**I DO NOT OWN YUGIOH OR TANGLED**


	7. Taverns and Dreams

**I DO NOT OWN YUGIOH OR TANGLED**

**Hi there! Chapter seven is here ^_^! Sorry for the long delay, I had my hectic weekend and then I had to recover from it XD.**

**Sunrise Phoenix: Thank you!**

**Sailorblaze: You know…that would work really well with a scene I will eventually do for Drearose and Bakura :). Thanks for suggesting it ^_^! Oh, and Marik and his midriff are in this chapter XD.**

**LadyCathy: Hahah I know, right? I may have to use "What have I unleashed" XD. LOL "mood swings"… Drearose is pronounced (Dray-ah-rose) ^_^. I love having fun at poor 'Kura's expense XD. Drearose's character is kind of a mix of Rapunzel and Captain America's girlfriend, who was a female soldier picked on by the male soldiers if you haven't seen the movie :). She also has a bit of Joey in her because just like Kaiba doesn't view Joey as a true duelist, he doesn't see Drearose as a true soldier yet.**

**Coka Cookie Cola: Haha she is an idiot XD. Thanks!**

**Aqua girl: Thanks! LOL I can just see his "I'm pouting" face ^_^.**

**Darky2510: Thank you! I'm looking forward to writing them :).**

**The Real Contestshipping Princess: Thanks! Hahah go Kura XD!**

**MutantEnemy101: Aw, thanks so much :)! Hahah he does. I summon a frying pan in attack mode! Attack Kaiba directly XD!**

**Sorceress of the Nile: Thanks! Haha that was one of my fave scenes in the movie :).**

**Axalover101: Thank you ^_^!**

**Kender20: Hahah duhn duhn duhhhhhn XD! Lordy, what have I unleashed? Hahah they surely are ^_^.**

**X**

By the time Yami and Tea finally exited the seemingly endless sea of trees into a clearing, their stomachs were both growling loudly. Kuriboh had bounced cheerily along, eating wild berries and roots and Tea had actually begun to consider munching on a few just to quell the fiery edge of hunger…when her guide's grim expression lit up.

"Ah! There it is!" he announced and pointed to a spot ahead of them.

Tea followed his gaze along the dirt road…to a small shack several yards away. It was a simple structure built with dark wood. Thick shudders covered the windows and a brick chimney on the roof puffed grey smoke, signaling the presence of a roaring fireplace within. Above the door, there hung a sign painted with the image of a green, horned creature. The words "Torike Tavern" were printed in faded red paint above the creature.

"You will like this place, Tea," Yami was saying presently, taking her arm gently and leading her along the path. "It is very quaint."

Tea felt another one of those odd sensations at his sudden touch and cleared her throat with embarrassment.

"I think this place will suit you quite well…" he continued, seeming not to notice her reaction. "…you know, after your reaction about 'thugs and ruffians'."

The girl giggled softly, her face heating with a cherry blush. Yami looked at her and smiled gently…but quickly turned away, averting his ruby eyes. Tea frowned slightly, studying his suddenly dark profile. Something seemed to be bothering him…she wondered what it could possibly be.

Before she could ask, however, Yami placed his hand lightly in the small of her back and propelled her toward the thick, rusty door. He wrapped his pale fingers around the iron handle, pulled the door open…and gently pushed the girl inside.

What hit Tea first…was the smell. An odd smoky scent mixed with something pungent and sour assaulted her, making her azure eyes burn. Coughing, the girl turned swiftly around to race back out the door…but her guide slammed it shut before she could do so. It was then that the lighting of the room became apparent…or rather the lack of it. It was terrifyingly dark, even darker than the tower was at night, with only a faint orange glow coming from a fireplace carved into a side wall.

Tea looked at Yami with wide eyes. His face was cast in shadow…but she could see the reflection of the fireplace in his blood eyes…and what seemed to be a casual smile twisting his pallid features. How could ANYONE be casual in a place like THIS?

"Ah, the Torike Tavern…" Yami sighed with what sounded like fondness and glanced around the room. "…the only thing that surpasses the wonderful atmosphere is the friendly, cheery customers. Take a look, won't you, Tea?"

Tea did…and had no problem throwing her arms around Yami's waist and clinging to him in fear as a result. The supposedly "quaint" Torike Tavern…was packed full of ruffians. All around, she saw thugs, each more grisly than the next…and all of them had their beady eyes locked on the two new customers.

There were a pair leaning with mugs against the scuffed, wood bar, one tall and lanky, wearing a dark purple cloak and a red and black mask that covered half his face…and the other, short and stocky, wearing a similar cloak and a white mask that covered his face's opposite half. A tall, muscled man with a barrel-like chest leaned against the wall near the fire place. He had dark skin and a single lock of braded black hair that ran all the way down to his waist. The side of his face was etched in dark tattoos, made to look even darker by the black clothes he wore…and his intense hazel eyes were narrow with hostility.

Tea gasped in terror and held her frying pan aloft like a sword. Her head flicked back and forth, unsure of which grisly target would require her full, weapon-bearing attention. THIS was the "quaint, pleasant" Torike Tavern? The very smell was enough to make one run screaming from the room! Kuriboh bounced up next to her, growling fiercely…but she could see him trembling.

"Come now, don't by shy…" Yami's voice murmured into her ear. He placed both hands on her shoulders and gently but firmly pushed her forward.

The girl squeaked as she stumbled into the throng of ruffians. They parted slightly to allow her access through their ranks…but they still stared and pressed in uncomfortably close. Tea's heart pounded and she waved her pan around frantically while walking through the crowd. Her eyes scanned quickly over the room, searching for some way out. She saw walls wounded with blade marks, a few daggers still protruding from the wood…a short ceiling crossed with beams similar to the rafters in her tower…a chandelier with dripping, lit candles that looked as though it was made out of bones…a bar littered with various mugs and surrounded by unsightly bruisers…a side door that probably led to a store room…but no way out.

In contrast to Tea's barely-contained panic, Yami could not have been more casual. He strolled nonchalantly along behind her, smirking and saluting to the ugliest of the ugly brutes as he went and seeming perfectly undaunted by the growls he received in response.

"Is this place not amazing?" he grinned at the girl, breathing in deeply the revolting air. "So clean and refreshing! It is nothing like some of the less-exquisite places in the city…"

THIS was "exquisite"? If this horrid, criminal-filled place was considered to be "fancy"…then Tea did not want to know what a rundown dive looked like. Perhaps Mother was right…maybe she didn't have what it took to survive in the outside world… The brunette's thoughts were abruptly interrupted however when she felt her hair catch on something. She turned…and yelped in fright when she saw a lanky man clothed in a red suit, tall crimson hat, and blue and black striped mask running his ropy fingers through her chocolate locks.

"Wow…that's a LOT of hair…" he muttered and let out a beastly, high-pitched laugh.

"She's growing it out," Yami replied coolly before throwing a friendly wave toward the bar. "How are things, Marik?"

A young man behind the bar grunted and shrugged. He looked around Yami's age with coffee-colored skin, platinum blonde hair that touched his shoulders, and black-lined, lilac eyes. He wore dark pants and a lavender shirt with short sleeves that rode up slightly, revealing a well-muscled torso. Marik, as he was apparently named, seemed to be the most normal out of all of them with a striking Egyptian look to his features. He could even be called handsome…but one could not fail to notice the distrusting gleam in those painted eyes.

Tea finally yanked her hair free from the masked creep and clung fearfully to her guide's arm. "Is he the owner of this restaurant?" she whispered.

"Indeed he is," Yami replied…though he still avoided her eyes. "He does a fine job of managing it to…after all, this is a five-star place."

Tea felt as though her heart had risen into her throat. "B-but…why does he let all these…these…ruffians into his business?"

"Ruffians?" the youth threw his head back and laughed…but Tea thought the laugh sounded almost forced. "Whatever do you mean? My dear girl…if you cannot handle THIS place…the lesser eating establishments will positively terrify you. Perhaps you should go back to your towe…"

Yami's voice was cut off suddenly and he made a slight choking sound. Tea, who had been studying a dark red stain on the wall and wondering if it was blood, whipped around…and gasped in horror. Yami was cringing in pain and tugging urgently at a sickly pale arm wrapped around his throat. The owner of the arm…was a man who looked like he belonged in a nightmare. He was dressed in ebony and crimson with numerous chains and locks jingling on his chest. His hairless face was ghastly white and covered in metal rings and piercings, his rather blank eyes sunken and rimmed with black. The man…though Tea could scarcely call him that… looked rather like a demented version of the mimes she had seen in one of her many books…and he was holding her guide captive.

A sinister laugh from several feet away made the brunette tear her azure eyes from the mime. The tavern owner, Marik, was swinging his black-clad legs over the bar and grinning with dark intent. Pulling out a sharp, silver dagger, he walked over to where the two travelers were standing

"Heh…nice catch, Strings," the barkeep praised his nightmarish lackey.

Strings the Mime's only response was to tighten his grip on his prisoner's throat, making Yami gag. Marik stepped forward and raised the knife, brandishing it threateningly close to the young man's face.

"Looks like your little adventures have finally gotten you into trouble, Yami…" Marik sneered. "Royal servants have been running all over the kingdom, slapping yours and Bakura's "wanted" pictures in every nook and cranny they can find. A man came by and nailed one on our door only a few hours ago…and I'm sure the royal knights aren't far behind."

Yami growled and tried to hiss something…but Strings gave his neck another painful squeeze, cutting off the words. The Egyptian-looking youth smirked and ran the tip of the blade along Yami's cheek, not enough to cut the skin…but enough to make Tea gasp in fear. Her guide's blood eyes flicked toward her…and she actually saw fear flash through them. Urgently, he inclined his head to the side, warning her of something…but she had no idea what that something was.

The girl turned to look back…and was promptly seized from behind by a horridly gaunt man with yellowish skin, beady eyes, and a hawk-like nose. His white hair was slicked back like a flame and despite his thinness, he held onto the struggling brunette with surprising strength.

Marik laughed again. "Odion! Find some royal soldiers! Tell them that we have one of the men they are looking for!"

The hulking man with the similarly dark skin and tattooed face nodded and promptly raced out the door. Tea saw a quick flash of sunlight as the door opened…but it was almost as speedily drowned in darkness when it shut again. More thugs had closed in around them and Marik was speaking to Yami again.

"Just you wait… that ransom is going finally buy me what I've only dreamed about my entire life…" the barkeep whispered, teasing Yami's face with the dagger again. This time, the blade nicked his pale skin…and a dark trickle of blood ran down his cheek.

Upon seeing her guide's wince of pain…Tea felt an unexplainable surge of shock and anger jolt through her. She glanced down and saw that fortunately, her captor had a hold of her waist…but had not thought to restrain her arms. Consequently, the girl was able to jerk to the side and slam her frying pan into his hideous face, knocking him out cold. She yanked herself from his limp arms as he fell and stood, iron pan at the ready and glaring fiercely at the enemy.

"Release my guide NOW!" Tea commanded with passion as well as anger in her voice. "Where is your HUMANITY?"

Marik laughed scornfully and sheathed his blade. "Humanity? What are you talking about, girl? You should be thanking us!" He pointed an accusing finger at the rather blue-looking Yami and his tone grew serious. "He is a liar and a thief! You were foolish to trust him…he'll turn on you the first chance he gets!"

"A liar and thief he may have been…" Tea conceded, her eyes never leaving those of the barkeep. "…but now…he's helping me to attain MY dream."

Marik's expression did not change…but she saw his back stiffen slightly. The girl's glare softened and she continued in a less harsh tone.

"I heard you say it yourself…you know what it's like to live with a dream your entire life…how painful it is thinking that it will never be fulfilled."

Marik's lip curled into a snarl and he turned back to Yami, as if the words did not faze him…but the brunette could tell they did. "What is your dream?" she asked softly.

The young man froze and remained silent for several minutes. Then…he turned and studied her with those silvery purple eyes, as if searching her very soul for something. The room was completely still, save for Yami's labored breathing. Right as Tea was about to give up hope and start beating the ugly out of these brutes with her frying pan in a desperate escape effort however…he spoke.

"Well…it seems that you are indeed telling the truth…" Marik began in a low voice. "I see in your eyes…the same desperate longing I've felt for many years." He snapped his fingers and, in response, Strings dropped Yami to the ground.

The youth fell to his knees, gasping and coughing. Tea rushed to his side and helped him up and over to a bar stool as Marik continued. "I want to see the world. I opened this bar so that I could make enough money to travel…and I'm not too far from securing sufficient funds."

"See?" the brunette smiled gently, pulling away from her dazed guide. "It's wonderful, isn't it? Being right there on the verge of claiming your dream...no matter what, if you keep your business open you'll be able to earn enough money. But for me…this is my only chance…and without Yami, that chance is as good as gone…"

Tea averted her eyes at this last statement. She truly did not know what she would do if, after coming this far…her dream was snatched away for eternity. Biting her lip, she risked a quick glance upward…and saw that Marik's gaze had actually begun to soften, if only a bit. In fact….all of the ruffians had taken on a thoughtful demeanor rather than the previous hostility. The brunette's heart lifted at this. Perhaps there was a chance…

Beckoning collectively to the crowd, she exclaimed, "Come on! Surely, you all have dreams…hidden talents…?"

Silence was the only response at first as the men shuffled and fidgeted rather awkwardly. After a few moments, a disembodied voice from the back of the room shouted, "Lumis and Umbra like to play music!"

The short and tall masked men from before gasped and began stammering in protest. Tea, however, smiled encouragingly at them.

"Come on! Play a tune for us!"

The duo looked at each other with wide, mortified eyes. After a few more urgings from the rest of the room, however…they finally sighed and shuffled over to another corner of the room. This area contained a small, abandoned-looking stage stocked with several old, underused instruments. With visibly shaking hands, the taller man, Umbra, lifted a fiddle that was dusty but in reasonably good condition. The short man, Lumis, selected a jingling tambourine…and they both nervously turned to face the throng of people.

Eyes wide with fear, Lumis beat his hand against the tambourine, setting the tempo for his partner. Taking a deep breath, Umbra drew the bow across the fiddle strings. It made a horrible screeching noise in response and everyone cringed. Umbra lowered the instrument, made a few adjustments, and slowly raised it once more. Again, he drew the bow…and a smooth, solid note sounded throughout the room. Both players gained confidence after a few moments, and soon the air was filled with a quick, lively tune.

The inhabitants of the Torike Tavern began clapping and grinning along to the music. It seemed that Lumis and Umbra's ever-increasing confidence…was beginning to affect them in turn. Still slamming his palm into the tambourine, Lumis announced,

"Arcana, the death-defying illusionist, likes to dance as much as he likes suspending himself over tanks filled with sharks!

Tea followed the squat man's gaze…and saw the red-suited man from before. Though his face was half-masked, she could see the flush on his exposed skin. Smiling, the girl grabbed his hand and pulled him into a more open space in the room.

"Well then? Let's dance!" She cried and began to move on her fluidly graceful feet.

Arcana shuffled about rather awkwardly at first, obviously embarrassed about the revelation of his secret…but soon, as with any dancer at heart…the music began to take him. He danced with nimbleness and impressive school, his movements always keeping with perfect time to the upbeat music.

Tea laughed as she twirled over the dark wood floor, her chocolate hair flowing like water behind her. The air was filled with melodious music, a gratifying hum of pleasant conversation…and a new essence of happiness and comfort that had not been there before. Truly, the girl had never realized how many people with her problem of not being able to accomplish their dream existed…and it felt wonderful to be in their company, to help them discover that there was a chance to do what they always wanted to do.

Many of the other so-called "thugs" took to the dance floor or picked up instruments, finally displaying the talents they had kept hidden for so long. A few men even sang with clear, smooth voices while others talked of deep desires they had never revealed to anyone.

During one of her elegant pirouettes, the blue-eyed beauty felt a calloused hand grab hers. She turned in surprise…and saw the barkeep, Marik, grinning at her. He spun her around a few times and she giggled, becoming entangled in her yards of hair. He led her off the dance floor and proceeded to help her unwind herself from the silky substance.

"I think your companion is a little shocked by all this…" Marik muttered, flicking his Egyptian eyes in a distinct direction.

Confused, Tea followed his gaze…and saw Yami still perched on one of the bar stools. His former captor, Strings, was standing on top of another stool and seemed to be practicing a still mime pose while a few other men laughed and attempted to make him move with no success. Meanwhile, the spiky-haired youth was taking in everything with a rather deadpan expression on his handsome face. His eyebrows were furrowed and his lips were puffed out in a sort of "pouting" expression, as if something had not gone according to plan…which Tea supposed this entire fiasco had indeed not.

The girl chuckled and rolled her eyes while Marik shook his head disapprovingly. "Well…I thank you, Miss Tea…" he said with a soft smile. You've helped not only me…but all of these people. I suppose sometimes we forget that it's okay to dream…no matter who you are."

"Yeah…" Tea murmured distantly. The idea, though it sounded so simple, truly impacted her. In spite of her unique situation of possessing hair with the ability to heal others and her charge of keeping that ability safe…she still had the right to dream…and nothing could change that.

Marik's friendly voice snapped her out of her thoughts. "What is your dream?"

"Oh…" a blush heated the girl's face and she averted her eyes. "W-Well…I…."

"Come on," the barkeep encouraged smilingly. "It can't be any crazier than some of the things we've come out with."

Tea chuckled and shrugged. "Well…I really want to see the lanterns they release every year in the city. I've been looking at them from afar for so long…I just want to see them…to find out what they are from up close." She inclined her head toward her sulking guide. "He is my only hope of getting there…and this is the only chance I have of realizing my dream."

Marik studied the spiky-haired youth for a long moment, his lilac eyes clearly skeptical. After a moment, however, he gave a tolerant smirk and turned back to Tea.

"Well then…if he's your partner, then you need to keep him in upbeat spirits. Why don't you go over there and cheer him up?" the youth grinned and playfully pushed a blushing Tea toward the bar.

The girl stumbled a few steps, then stood upright and bit her lip nervously. Yami's crimson eyes weren't facing her, rather they were narrowed and glancing off to the side…almost as if he were looking at something. Tea had probably embarrassed him with all her talk of dreams…and that thought made her heart sink…which in turn confused her. Why did she care about what he thought? He was a partner in a deal, nothing more…and yet…the girl could not help desiring to know more about him…to get closer to him than just a business relationship.

It was this thought that made her stop anxiously wringing the hem of her dress and stand up straight with determination. She was going to get past that enigmatic exterior…and uncover the real person who lay within him.

Grinning mischievously, Tea marched right up to Yami. He was still staring off in the distance and did not seem to see her…so she simply grabbed both of his pale hands in hers. Startled, Yami jerked and whipped his head around to look at her. His ruby eyes were wide with a comical look of shock that made Tea laugh aloud.

"C'mon! Dance with me!" the girl cried, and, without waiting for his response, dragged him off the barstool and onto the dance floor.

Teaching her spiky-haired companion intricate dance steps was a spectacle which, to onlookers, was rather like watching a dromedary with dropsy. In spite of his thin, toned form and apparent confidence in most other activities, Yami would flail and trip about, unable to configure his limbs with the fast beat of the tune. Therefore, Tea, laughing good-naturedly throughout the entire clumsy ordeal, stuck with a simple folkdance that required little more than stepping and walking in circles with the partners' palms pressed together.

At first, Yami's hot, calloused hands felt sweaty and a tad shaky against Tea's cool, soft ones…almost as if he were incredibly nervous about something. Whenever the girl met his fiery eyes with her icy gaze, he would quickly look away…and she would frown in confusion. What had him so disturbed? Perhaps he was ashamed about his lack of dancing skill…but he was beginning to do better with the simple folkdance…

Deciding on this as the issue, Tea reached up and turned his face to look at her. Yami's eyes widened with shock…and the brunette felt as though a jolt of electricity had surged through her at the contact. Ignoring the flush creeping up to her face, she leaned in and whispered into his ear, "Just relax…you're doing great."

These words…spoken so softly and innocently…seemed to have a tremendous impact on their receiver. As if some spell had been broken or an invisible barricade torn down…Yami's tense body relaxed. He turned his head slightly so that their cheeks barely brushed against each other…and Tea felt another odd shiver run through her. Though she did not voice it…the girl suspected that her guide's discomfort…was related to something other than his klutzy dance moves.

After a few more heart-stopping moments, the brunette finally, reluctantly pulled back, embarrassed by the moment. She cleared her throat awkwardly and giggled, avoiding his crimson gaze. She had spent so much time wondering what on earth was wrong with HIM…and had never stopped to think what was wrong with HER. Why was she acting so shaky and giggly around this young man? Was she allergic to him or something?

Before she could further ponder it…the music suddenly changed. The lively, happy tune slowed…and began soft and peacefully dawdling.

"A slow dance," Tea smiled at her partner. "We can use the box step for this."

"Ah…" Yami's pale lips twisted into a grin that made her heart beat rapidly. "Now that is a dance I actually know."

The youth placed his hands on her waist and pulled her closer to him. Tea's breath caught as he did so, but she forced the unexplained reaction into the background…and slid her hands up to his shoulders. Then…they began to move in the easy, oscillating pattern to the smooth, gentle beat. Tea had been worried that her companion would trip over her long hair…but to her surprise and delight, he managed to avoid it fairly well.

After a few moments of silence, Tea finally asked the question that she had been afraid to even ponder in the privacy of her own mind. "Yami…what is YOUR dream…?"

Yami's face, which had been reasonably relaxed…grew suddenly tense and grave. His skin went even paler…and his eyes grew shadowed and distant. Tea actually found herself pulling back slightly in perplexity. Why the dramatic reaction to such a simple question? Was THIS the reason why he had seemed so uncomfortable and distant?

Before the girl could ask about it…the door to the tavern slammed open…and in stepped a panting Odion.

"Master Marik!" the man called. "I found a soldier! We'll be able to turn Yami in for the ransom now!"

Tea gasped in horror and Yami cursed. He grabbed the girl's hand and dragged her through the crowd, pulling her with him behind the bar. There was a two-foot deep, dark crevice on the underside of the bar's interior where Marik kept supply crates. Fortunately, there weren't too many boxes placed there at the moment…so the fugitive duo was able to squeeze inside the temporary hiding place.

A nervous murmuring ensued among the tavern crowd. Tea's chest was heaving and she was pretty sure she was cutting off the circulation in Yami's arm with her grip as she pressed against him. She knew this cranny would not hide them for long…and she had no idea what the soldiers would do to them when they were discovered. The girl risked a quick glance up at Yami…and wished she hadn't…for his shadowed face looked every bit as grave as she felt.

Pressing her lips together to silence her frantic gasping, Tea inhaled deeply…and listened. The tavern was quiet…deadly unnervingly quiet…save for the distinct padding of booted feet on the wood floor. The sound, though still intimidating, was not at all what the girl expected. Rather than a group of metal-clad men…she heard the footsteps of perhaps two individuals, devoid of clanking armor. That simply did not fit with the descriptions she'd heard of imperial soldiers…

The footsteps grew softer as they went into another area of the building, perhaps the side door she'd noted during her first scan of the room. Tea turned to Yami, racking her brain for some plan of escape…but before she could even open her mouth…Marik appeared over the bar, landing noiselessly beside them. He pressed a coffee finger to his lips…reached up…and grasped one of the beer taps. With a soft grunt, he pulled…and a square-shaped piece of the wood wall in front of them opened, revealing an opening to a dark passage just large enough for one of the thugs to squeeze through.

"Go…" Marik inclined his platinum blonde head toward the shadowy tunnel. "Realize your dream, Tea. And YOU…" he fixed Yami with a stern glare. "…take care of her."

Yami grunted and crawled out of the crevice into their tunnel of salvation.

"Thank you for everything, Marik…" Tea whispered as she kissed him on the cheek.

Marik's already dusky skin grew even darker with a blush and he nodded briskly. Then…she turned…and followed her partner into the dark passage, her long hair trailing behind her as they ran.

X

Bakura's chocolate eyes narrowed as he took in every detail of the Torike Tavern's store room. He saw wall-built shelves stocked with canned food, eating utensils, liquor of various brands, and a few crates lying on the floor….but nothing that came remotely close to resembling Yami's unruly hairstyle.

The thief and Drearose had received quite a shock when the heavily-built thug Odion fetched them, swearing up and down that he had found one of the fugitives. They had followed him to the dive and come in to search…but so far, their efforts had produced no results.

Bakura chuckled and breathed in the familiar stench of cigars and alcohol. "Ah…the familiar scent of nostalgia never fails to disgust me…"

Drearose, who had been knocking on the walls with an ivory pale fist, gave him a wry smile and inquired, "I take it you've been here before…?"

"Oh yes….Yami and I came here many times in search of a few muscle-headed fools to do our bidding…" His frown deepened and he muttered, "I wonder what ever happened to Para and Dox…"

The girl shot him a look. "What was that?"

Bakura's back stiffened and he shook his head. "Nothing…" he said quickly and, before her brain had time to register suspicion, added, "I don't think he's hiding in here…let us go back into the dining area and search."

Drearose nodded. She stepped away from the wall and followed him back out into the eating area of the dive. Bakura took no special notice of the usual array of unsightly creeps in the place. He was quite used to seeing muscled fool after tattoo-covered muscled fool…but his companion seemed a bit unsettled. She pressed unusually close to him, her jade eyes flicking about in a nervous manner. The thief found that he could actually feel the heat of her body in the near contact.

"Something bothering you, dearie?" he finally asked, glancing over his shoulder with an amused smile.

Drearose glared at him but answered in a low, almost inaudible tone. "Don't you find it strange that they're all so quiet…and staring at us…?"

Bakura smirked. "No….it's always like that here. If you're not a regular customer…then you're a stranger…and strangers are usually unwelcome in these types of places."

He finally halted near the fireplace…which he noted was full of smoking ash. There had been a fire lit recently…and it seemed as though it had been rather hurriedly put out. Why? Did the room grow too hot to handle? Or…were the deviants afraid of the fire's light…revealing something…or someone they wished to remain hidden…?

The thief slowly turned his eyes away from the ash….and met those of the barkeep Marik, standing only a few feet away. The exotic youth was glaring at him piercingly, those painted eyes taking in his every movement. Bakura, in turn, smiled at him.

"Good afternoon, Marik," he greeted, as if they were genial neighbors. "One of your followers sent for the soldier and I, claiming that you had the fugitive in custody. Is that true?"

The corner of Marik's mouth twisted into a sardonic grin…but his eyes remained cold. "So…you're working for the kingdom now, Bakura?"

The thief shrugged. "Let's just say I've worked out a little deal with them…and my dear friend Yami is a vital bargaining chip." His smile was gone now, replaced by grim seriousness. "Now…I'll ask you again. Do you have Yami…or do you not?"

"I believe we do…" Marik responded with a tolerant smile.

He turned and disappeared into the crowd for a few moments. The thugs parted like water to allow him passage, a rather disturbing spectacle, thought Bakura. After a few moments, the barkeep returned, dragging a man behind him.

"I believe THIS is the one you're looking for…" He announced.

With inflaming irritation, Bakura studied the person. He looked rather like a nightmare version of a mime, with pale skin, a skeletal face, and hundreds of body piercings. He raised his hand in an unnatural, doll-like movement…and waved.

"That is NOT Yami…" the thief growled through clenched teeth.

"Really?" Marik raised his fair eyebrows and looked at the mime creature. "Are you sure?"

Bakura snarled and pushed his way through the crowd over to the door. He snatched the "Wanted" flier from its scarred surface, stomped back over to Marik, and pointed at the picture.

"THIS is Yami, you fool! You've seen him in here more than once!" Bakura turned his narrowed eyes to the picture. "Note the ridiculous hairsty…."

His voice trailed off as his gaze landed on his own image on the parchment. This time…he had been drawn with a long, cucumber-like nose that could have belonged in the tale of Pinocchio.

"Oh, now they're just being mean!" Bakura cried and ripped the paper to shreds.

Drearose, who had been searching around the bar, was staring piercingly at something. "Bakura…"

"Not now, blondie!" the snowy-haired youth snapped. "I'm having a bit of a crisis here!"

"Bakura…" the girl said again, only to be cut off by his rant.

"I swear, as soon as I find Yami I am going back with you to that castle and strangling whatever bloody idiot they have sketching my mug shot! I…!"

"Bakura!" Drearose shouted, turning to him with impatience clearly etched on her fair face. "Would you stop being a narcissist for five seconds and LOOK OVER HERE?"

"I'm not a narcissist!" he cried and finally turned to her. "I just don't appreciate it when…"

Bakura's tirade was silenced as the she-knight placed her hand on one of the beer taps. She gave it a tug…and a person-sized panel slid away from the wall, revealing a shadowed passage within. The thief stared stupidly at the tunnel for a long moment before glancing at Drearose.

"Shall we go this way?" she asked with a wry grin.

Bakura could feel the cherry blush on his face and was thankful for the poor lighting in the tavern.

"Uh…I suppose we should…" he replied grudgingly and followed her into the darkness.

**Hahah poor Bakura…I hope you liked and please review!**

**I DO NOT OWN YUGIOH OR TANGLED**


	8. Tunnels and Dams

**I DO NOT OWN YUGIOH OR TANGLED**

**Chapter eight is up ^_^! Sorry for that delay, I had another crazy weekend XD.**

**Sailorblaze: Hahah I'VE GOT A DREAM XD!**

**The Real Contestshipping Princess: Thanks ^_^! Hahah poor Yami…I just can't imagine him as being extremely graceful XD. Hahah I have a feeling it's either Rex or Weevil drawing Bakura's picture…:).**

**Aqua girl 007: Haha thanks :3! I wasn't sure how I was going to fit Marik into this story for awhile XD.**

**MutantEnemy101: Thanks :)! I figured it would be more realistic for them to dance rather than burst out singing XD. Oh, and Yami's knowing how to slow dance is an important detail for future events *Wink* ^_^.**

**Sunrise Phoenix: Thanks ^_^! Hahaha poor 'Kura…**

**Axalover11: Thank you ^_^!**

**SammiiTee: Aw, thanks so much ^_^! I was really nervous when I first started the story because I've only seen Tangled like, one and a half times XD so I'm thrilled it's turning out well ^_^. Hahaha omg so was I! I almost accidentally wrote "Fluffy" when Marik was addressing him instead of "Bakura" at one point :3. **

**Kender20: ^_^ thanks! I wanted Yami and Tea to have a cute little moment :). Haha poor Bakura…**

**Darky2510: Thanks ^_^! Hahah I know, right? I knew who Yami was even before I started watching Yugioh XD…**

**Sorceress of the Nile: Thanks ^_^! Hahah Bakura is a narcissist XD. I am planning on doing "I See the Light" and I'm using a song from another musical for a Bakura/Drearose scene in the future ;).**

**LadyCathy: Hahah thank you ^_^! XD Epic pouting maneuver! Hahah yeah that's true…Kuriboh's so mischievous! Hahahah oh man poor Drearose…she'll be absolutely THRILLED about that XD. Yeah, I can see how the pronunciation could be confused with that…it's kind of like "Briar Rose" in sleeping beauty :).**

**X**

To say that Chono was in a foul mood…was an understatement. As she stood at the window of the Torike Tavern, watching the soldier and thief disappear to the tunnel, her entire body was shaking with rage. Her overly made-up face had lost all pretense of beauty, crinkled into a ruthless, horrid snarl. The woman simply could not believe that her obedient and more or less brainwash daughter…had had the GAUL to leave the tower. After all these years of filling the naïve girl's head with horror story after horror story…Tea had still somehow worked up the boldness to disobey.

Angrily, Chono wiped at a bead of sweat rolling down her temple. In spite of the shady trees, the mid-afternoon sun was terribly hot….yet another reason to be in terrible spirits. She scrubbed her cheek again…and gasped in horror when she felt the skin sag. The woman leaned closer to the glass so that she could view her reflection…and was aghast to see a few small wrinkles engraved into her usually perfect skin. This wasn't good…she had to get Tea back before the restoring magic completely wore off…before that boy took her too far away…even if it meant…Chono glanced at the satchel hung around her shoulder…the satchel containing the crown…and her dagger.

The redhead's contemplation was cut off when the door to the tavern suddenly swung open. She turned…and saw a lanky man with yellowish skin and a rather bruised-looking hawk nose step out. Well… "step out" was not quite the right phrasing…rather he stumbled out, obviously having had too much to drink. Groaning and mumbling in drunkard bliss, he let the door swing closed and slumped against its frame. Slowly, his dim eyes wandered up to Chono's face…and a grin twisted his unsightly features.

"Well…I do believe I've found MY dream…" the man crooned, looking her up and down with a growing smile.

Chono stared at him for a long moment…and covertly stuck her hand into the bag. She gave her best flirtatious smile and giggled, "Oh stop it, you big lug."

The woman laughed and so did her admirer…but his sleepy smile quickly turned to a wide-eyed gasp when she pressed a frigid dagger blade against his throat. He stared at the weapon…then at her as the rusty gears in his brain slowly turned and recognized the situation.

"…Knife…"

Chono glared dispassionately and hissed, "Where does that tunnel let out?"

The man's eyes met hers…and with a gulp of apprehension, he told her all.

X

The inside of the tavern passage was every bit as dark and dreary as it had appeared at its entrance. The walls and floor were a solid brown rock littered with a few stray shovels…and skeletons that were practically dust. As they walked, guided only by the soft glow of a small lantern…Yami felt a shudder go through him. This place reminded him all-too-much of some sort of ancient tomb riddled with curses…and traps.

The youth glanced back at Tea to see if she shared his discomfort…but the girl seemed perfectly fine…giddy in fact. She was murmuring excitedly to Kuriboh, who was clinging to her back like a monkey. Her pretty face was lit up with a smile, her azure eyes sparkled while she spoke…and Yami could not help but smirk and shake his head. For a while during that fiasco, all he could think was, "What HAVE I unleashed?"…but his shock had soon turned to admiration. He simply could not believe that this girl, who had been terrified of a rabbit only a few hours before…had softened the heart of every thug in the Torike Tavern. It boggled the mind.

Out of his own revelry, Yami murmured, "That was a courageous thing you did back there, Miss Tea."

"I know!" the girl practically squealed. Then…she froze…and her excited face took on a calmer, cool expression. "I mean…I know."

The youth locked gazes with her for a long moment, fire eyes clashing with ice. Truly…he had never met anyone quite like her before. She was brave without being arrogant…kind without being a pushover…and feisty without harboring bitterness. He recalled how he had watched her go from being ready to fight all those thugs…to talking to them with genuine sincerity. He remembered that moment they had shared…during the slow dance…Yami blushed and speedily looked away.

They were silent for several moments, their footsteps being the only noise in the tunnel's heavy stillness. As they trudged along in the dark, cheerless void…Yami's own thoughts began to turn black. When Tea had been dancing…he thought he noticed something…or rather someone in the crowd….two someones in fact. He was not positive…but he thought he recalled seeing a pair of glistening bald heads in the back of the crowd. Tea had run up and grabbed his hands, pulling him onto the dance floor before he had the chance to get a better look at them, however…

The youth clenched his jaw and narrowed his ruby eyes at the shadowed depths ahead. He had to cease thinking of such things. Even if Para and Dox had been there at the Torike Tavern…they wouldn't be able to follow them through the tunnel. Marik would make certain of that.

Tea's curious voice cut into his thoughts again. "So…Yami, where are you from?"

Yami opened his mouth to answer but caught himself just in time. He cursed himself mentally. He knew better than to answer such questions…and yet this young woman seemed to always slip through his defensive wall. He tossed a wry grin back at her.

"Sorry, my dear, but I do not reveal my back story to ANYONE. However…" his tone grew more serious. "I am becoming quite interested in yours."

This was indeed true. In spite of the youth's rule of not getting to know anyone on a deep level…he simply could not help himself anymore. Tea gave him a small smile and raised her brows, urging him to continue.

"Now…:" Yami began pensively. "I know I am not supposed to ask about the hair…"

"Nope…" Tea shook her head.'

"Or the mother…"

She cringed slightly. "No way."

He looked at the creature clinging to her back and added, "Frankly, I am too scared to ask about the dust bunny…"

"Kuriboh," the girl corrected, rubbing the hairball's head affectionately.

"Therefore…" Yami finished, as if she had not spoken. "My question is this. If you wanted so badly to see the lanterns…why have you not gone before…?" He looked back over his shoulder, his ruby eyes studying her with sincere interest.

Tea's face fell, her sapphire eyes quickly looking away. Yami raised his brows at this. Just what was the deal with this girl? Did her caution stem simply from her overprotective mother…or was the root cause of it something far deeper than he could imagine…? The brunette gave a nervous chuckle, brushing a strand of hair away from her face.

"Um…" she gave a nervous chuckle and glanced at an equally agitated Kuriboh. "Well…I…"

Before Tea had a chance to explain, a sudden sound reached Yami's ears…and he froze. He held a hand up for silence…and listened intently. Moments before, the only sound in the passage had been that of their breathing and footsteps…now…there was something else. It was a thudding…faint…distant…but there all the same.

"Yami…?" Tea whispered, apprehension thick in her voice.

Yami placed a finger to his lips. The thudding sound was growing gradually louder…and he thought he heard the rustling of clothes along with it. Then, a shout of "I see a light!" sounded…and the voice was all too familiarly accented.

"Yami!" Tea gasped, looked at him with wide,2 frightened eyes…and needed no further incentive for her guide's next order.

"RUN!"

Yami grabbed Tea's copious locks and shoved them into her arms before taking off down the tunnel. The pursuing footsteps had grown even louder now…and he was sure he could hear their enemies breathing. The spiky-haired young man's mind went in a thousand different directions as they fled. He was sure he had heard Bakura…but how could that be? Bakura had been captured by the soldiers…so why was he with one of them…? Yami tripped over an uneven section of the floor and growled as stumbled, loosing precious inches between him and the chasers. He couldn't think about it now…he had to focus on the task at hand….escaping with their lives.

The duo rounded a sharp corner…and the first rays of daylight washed over their faces. There was an opening straight ahead, leading to fresh air…and freedom. Adrenaline pumping through his veins, Yami grabbed Tea's arm and forced his aching legs to run even faster. He could feel the warm air of the outside mixing with the frigid draft of the tunnel…they were almost there…

Finally, they crossed the threshold of the opening…and Yami nearly went plummeting to his death. The tunnel…had exited out onto some sort of manmade structure on the side of a cliff overlooking a valley below.

Hastily, Yami looked around, blood eyes taking in every detail. The structure was a kind of wooden tower constructed from the ground with different levels of platforms ascending upward. They were standing on the most recently finished platform with the supporting beams towering many yards above them. Obviously, this tower was not yet complete…but what was its purpose…? The youth continued to scan…and gasped when he received his answer.

The tower was not simply a tower…and the valley was not just a valley…it was the dry side of a massive dam holding who knew how much water. The wooden structure on which they stood had been constructed directly next to the dam with several beams supporting a still-under-construction area of wooden patchwork. The youth shuddered. Remove one wrong beam…and the patch would most likely be torn away by the force of the water behind it.

Yami's heat sunk. There was another cliff wall with a ledge and the beginnings of some other manmade construction a few yards ahead and slightly below them…but the gap was far too wide to simply jump. There was no obviously quick way down from their perch…and their pursuers were approaching fast.

Yami's eyes narrowed as he peered at the grassy valley surrounded by rock below. Chiseled into another great stone wall was another boarded-up doorway…and the planks of wood seemed to be rattling. The boards shook violently, sending great clouds of dust misting into the air…until they finally splintered into bits. From the darkness stepped none other…than Para and Dox, iron mallets clutched in their anger-clenched hands.

"Who's that?" Tea asked.

"Uh…" Yami scratched his hair nervously. "They…don't like me."

It was precisely that moment…that footsteps padded out onto the platform behind them. Yami turned, ready to snarl some gross insult at the traitorous Bakura…and froze when he saw the person standing before him. Rather than the snowy-haired thief…it was a girl with golden blonde hair wearing a green dress, her gold and jade eyes narrowed fiercely. He opened his mouth to demand an explanation…and abruptly closed it when the young woman unsheathed a glinting silver blade and brandished it at him.

"Who is THAT?" Tea demanded.

Yami sighed. "I don't know, but judging by the sword, I don't think she likes me either."

A familiarly irritated voice sounded from the passage. "Hey! What part of 'wait up, blondie' did you NOT understand?" Bakura shouted as he ran out onto the platform. His pristine hair was slightly ruffled from running and his clean navy shirt was streaked with dirt from the tunnel.

The snowy-haired thief opened his mouth to say something…but froze when he saw Tea. He stared at her for a few moments before finally murmuring, "Wow…that is a LOT of hair…."

"And who is THAT?" the brunette demanded to know.

Yami threw up his hands helplessly. "Let us just assume for the moment that NOBODY out here likes me!"

The girl sighed in frustration while her puffball squeaked accordingly. She then turned and took in the stone ledge several yards out of their reach. Her azure eye studied it for a long moment….and lit up with an idea.

"Here!" Tea shoved her frying pan into Yami's hands. Taking her lengthy tresses in her arms, she spun the ropelike hair like a lasso and thrust it at a partially built wooden beam structure jutting out on the cliff wall several feet above the ledge. The hair wrapped tightly around the wood…and she leapt from the platform, swinging across to the cliff outcropping. Tea landed neatly on the other side, unwound her hair from the beam…and turned to look back at her guide. Her sapphire eyes sparkled with a fire…a fire of encouragement for him to fight.

Floating next to Yami's head, Kuriboh growled. Yami whipped around…and tensed when he saw the sword-bearing girl creeping toward him. He glanced at the simple frying pan in his grasp and shrugged helplessly, holding it aloft as if it were a deadly rapier.

The blonde's green eyes narrowed. "Give it up…" she growled, her feet crossing one over the other with obviously skilled footwork. "…and I won't have to hurt you."

"She's right my friend," Bakura said with a mocking grin. "You have no hope left. You are quite literally…between a rock and a hard place."

The youth took a step backward…and cringed when he felt his booted heel brush the edge of the wood platform. He glanced backward…and saw the Bakura was right. If he fell…there would be nothing but rocky ground to greet him in the valley below. Rocky ground…and the none-too-pleased Paradox Brothers.

Yami's heart pounded beneath his black-clad chest…for there was nowhere left to run. He swallowed hard…and locked his ruby eyes on the deadly point aimed at his heart, its blade glinting wickedly in the early evening sun. Was this it? Was his life to end by the hands of the unforgiving earth…or by this girl? Well…he had never had much of a life anyway…at least…not here he didn't…

Yami's blood eyes closed and his brows furrowed despairingly. There was nothing more he could do…it was all over. That is…until a voice pierced through the white noise of his thudding heart.

"Yami!"

His eyes snapped open and he threw a glance over his shoulder. Tea was standing there, looking at him with wide, frightened eyes. His gaze locked with hers…and he felt his blood freeze in his veins. What was he thinking? He couldn't leave her in this world alone…lost…naïve…and vulnerable. He couldn't give up…he would fight with what little he had.

Jaw set in determination, Yami turned back to his opponents. He glanced at Kuriboh…and the fuzzy creature growled, nodding encouragingly. With a slow, deliberate movement…the youth raised his frying pan and growled, "Not a chance…let's duel!"

Yami lunged forward, swinging his frying pan like a blade as he went. The girl's eyes widened in surprise for a millisecond before she remembered to bring up her own weapon to block. The blades…or rather the pan and blade locked together and Yami used all of his strength to shove his opponent backward and away from him. The blonde stumbled and her back struck one of the wooden beams holding up the patchwork on the dam, making it creak ominously.

The youth halted to catch his breath for just a moment…but a moment was far long enough for Bakura to seize him from behind. The thief wrapped one arm around his torso and the other around his neck in a headlock, cutting off escape and oxygen. Yami gagged, tugging at the ghostly pale limb constricting his throat…but Bakura had always been a little taller than he and was consequently stronger. Struggling had no effect…but what DID prove to be successful was a certain floating hairball. Kuriboh snarled shrilly, lunged at the arm…and sunk his fur-concealed teeth into Bakura's flesh.

The snowy-haired man yowled in shock and pain, pulling away from Yami and shaking the creature from his arm. Kuriboh dropped to the ground and bounced back over to his mistress's guide, a smug expression on his fuzzy features.

Yami grinned at him. "Good dust bunny," he praised and the creature rolled his eyes.

The spiky-haired man allowed himself a grin of amusement as Bakura stood several feet away, rubbing his teeth-marked arm and cursing under his breath…but that amusement was short-lived. The girl had recovered from her previous disorientation and was leaping at him, her sword held out in front of her.

With a serpentine movement, Yami neatly dodged out of the way…and his heart lurched with panic. The young woman had taken a rather large leap…and her momentum would surely send her over the edge of the platform if there was nothing there to stop her. Bakura was still rubbing at his wound, not paying attention, and Yami couldn't throw himself in front of her for fear of being impaled by the sword…so he had no other choice.

Cringing in grim anticipation, the guide swung Tea's frying pan…and it collided with the girl's sword-bearing wrist. A sickening crack ensued followed by her shriek of pain, and the blade fell from her now broken hand, skidding across the wooden ledge.

Yami flinched as he watched the young woman stagger away, clutching at her wrist, eyes squeezed shut in agony…but he knew he had had no other choice. He had suspected that the force of the pan would break bones…but it would also cause her to spin in place, stopping her uncontrollable move forward. He couldn't have risked hitting her in the head or torso for fear of causing a concussion or breaking ribs. Though the thought of injuring a young woman who was doing merely what her kingdom demanded of her still sickened him…he decided he had struck her in a place that would cause the least serious injury.

The youth kept his blood eyes locked on her, expecting her to launch a vengeful attack with her good hand…but the girl remained doubled over in pain. The one who DID attack him however…was none other than Bakura. With a snarl of genuine rage, the thief snatched his partner's sword from the ground and bounded toward him. Yami easily brought up his weapon to block the attack…for his opponent's movements were clumsy and emotion-driven…and that surprise him. He had never known Bakura to be overly passionate about anything…let alone another human being.

The thief emitted a low growl and Yami looked up from the locked weapons, fiery gems clashing with cold obsidian. Bakura glanced backward at the girl…and slowly turned his angry gaze back to his opponent.

"You'll pay for that…" he hissed, his rough voice even more gravelly than usual.

This further confused Yami…but he decided that now wasn't the best time to ask questions. With a final grunt of effort and pump of adrenaline, he braced his foot on the platform and put all the strength he had into shoving Bakura away from him. He whipped around, hoping against hope that his companion could strategize even partially well.

"Tea!" he shouted, stretching out his hand.

To his utter relief, the girl seemed to catch on immediately to what he was proposing. With an audible grunt of effort, Tea swung her hair around a beam built onto the underside of her ledge. She then tossed the rest of it up to her guide…and he snatched the silky substance in his hands, wrapping it around the palm of one to maintain a solid grip.

Wasting no time, Yami leapt from the platform…and gasped in horror when he remembered Kuriboh. He needn't have worried, however…for the hairball bounced over the edge just in time…and clamped his teeth onto one of the guide's numerous spikes.

"OW!" Yami yelped, pain shooting across his scalp. "Again with the hair!"

Kuriboh gave a muffled squeak of annoyance, a clear order to "stop worrying about your hair, you narcissist, and pay attention!" He did…and brandished the frying pan reflexively at the sight which greeted him.

Yami and Kuriboh were rapidly swinging downward toward the valley…and the villainous twins who desired his head. They stood several yards ahead of them, their ugly faces further contorted with rage. The guide clutched the pan handle tightly…the yards were rapidly growing shorter as he swung…and the villains would soon be upon him.

Tightening his grip on Tea's hair, Yami kept his ruby eyes locked on Para and Dox, waiting for the opportune moment. That moment came when both Tea and Kuriboh cried out in alarm…and the twins became distracted. Swinging with all his might, Yami struck Para in the face with the pan, knocking him into Dox and sending both of them to the ground. With his enemies temporarily immobilized, he let go of the hair and dropped to the grassy ground. The impact was surprising due to the speed at which he was swinging but not bone-breaking.

Panting, Yami scanned his crimson eyes over the area. The field was low, surrounded by rocky walls and appearing rather like a long dish. The door through which Para and Dox had emerged lay only a few yards away from him….but who knew if it would take them away from their enemies?

In the midst of contemplating this, Yami heard Tea give a cry of alarm. He looked up…and felt his heart sink like a stone. Tea was staring neither at him nor the groggy Paradox Brothers…but at Bakura, who was slamming his shoulder into one of the wide beams supporting the wooden patch on the dam. The beam was large enough to walk on with some skill…and just long enough to bridge the gap between the tower and the cliff on which Tea stood. The thief gave one last shove…and the beam broke free from the others, tumbling over and catching the stone ledge.

With a smirk of satisfaction, Bakura turned and gestured to the young woman. Her face was still grim with pain but she had seemingly recovered her senses. She nodded…and carefully followed him out onto the narrow makeshift bridge…toward Tea.

The brunette stared at them and slowly stepped backward, her mind obviously blank with fear. Finally, when Bakura was only inches from the ledge…Yami called out to her…and she snapped out of her frozen state. Clutching at her hair, Tea bounded to the edge…and jumped off, just as her guide had done. Scrambling across the cliff, the thief tried to grab onto her chocolate tresses, but they slipped through his fingers like water.

Tea swung down to the ground and pulled her hair free from the beam around which it had been secured. As she reeled in her copious locks, she grinned and said, "The way you handled that frying pan was pretty impressive."

Yami grinned and spun the object once. "I have got to get one of these…"

All three adventurers laughed…but their moment of relief was abruptly cut off by a thunderous creaking noise. Yami felt his blood go cold and saw the color drain from Tea's face. They both slowly turned…and gaped in horror at the dam.

With its main support beam removed, the patch was barely holding back who new how many gallons of water. It groaned and shuddered, the nails visibly popping out from the wood…and a few glistening leaks trickled out from the sides. Yami held his breath, praying that the patch would hold…but suspecting that they would never be so lucky.

Unfortunately…Yami's intuition was correct. The wood finally burst away from the dam…and gallon after gallon of frigid water began gushing out. It knocked over the wood tower with its incredible force…and began surging toward the trio standing in the valley.

Yami only needed to see Para and Dox consumed by the tidal wave before his brain kicked into gear.

"Run!" he shouted, grabbing Tea's arm and taking off.

The youth ran as fast as his tired legs would carry him, tripping more than once over various rocks scattered through the grass. Kuriboh was clinging to his shoulders and probably squeaking in fright…but he could not hear him over the roar of the rushing water. He knew in his frantically beating heart…that they had only one chance of escape…the passage through which Para and Dox had come. It lay only a few yards ahead of them, its shadowy depths seeming to beckon them forward.

Yami threw a quick glance back at Tea as they dashed. The girl's eyes were wide and full of terror…and that only gave him a further incentive to press on. In spite of his rapidly fatiguing body…he had to keep going….for Tea if not for himself. The doorway was only two or three yards away from them now…and he could feel the girl's arm tense in anticipation of their salvation.

Finally, the trio raced into the dark passage and Yami's heart lifted…only to sink once again as the water gushed in behind them. They had made it into the tunnel all right…but now they had to find a way out of it…with zero light to guide their way.

**Duhn duhn duuuuuuhn XD! Hahah the cave scene will be in the next chapter but I had to get the fight scene out of the way first :). I hope you liked and please review!**

**I DO NOT OWN YUGIOH OR TANGLED**


	9. Entrapment and Salvation

**I DO NOT OWN YUGIOH OR TANGLED**

**Hiya ^_^! Onto chapter nine XD!**

**Sailorblaze: Hahahah everybody was vampire fighting! ^_^**

**Sunrise Phoenix: Thanks ^_^! Yeah…you may be right about that ;). Hahahah I couldn't resist having a little fun at Yami's expense XD.**

**Aqua girl 007: Thanks ^_^! Haha I know, right? I was having a flashback moment from the season 0 abridged episode with Yugi challenging Ushio to a duel XD.**

**The Real Contestshipping Princess: Thanks ^_^! Hahah sweet Yami…and Bakura XD.**

**MutantEnemy101: Thank you ^_^! Hahaha couldn't resist adding a classic Yugioh line XD.**

**Coka Cookie Cola: XD I was running out of synonyms for Chono hahaha. LOL I know, right ^_^?**

**Sorceress of the Nile: Thanks :)! The cave scene is going to be a bit different…it should makes sense when I get to it. I am going to use "I See the Light" for Yami and Tea and I had a pre-requested song for Bakura and Drearose called "It Takes Two" from "Into the Woods" ^_^.**

**Kender20: Thanks ^_^! Haha poor Yami's going to be bald by the time this is all over XD.**

**Darky2510: Thanks ^_^! Hahah Yami and his hair XD…Hahah the most epic matchup of the year XD!**

**Vampiressbeauty20: Thanks ^_^! Hahah Kuriboh seems to have an issue with Yami's hair in this XD.**

**Infernoinside: Thanks ^_^! I'm having a lot of fun with it :).**

**DarkAngelBattis: Thanks :)! Hahah that was one of my fave lines in the movie XD.**

**X**

In all his eighteen or so years as a thief and man of the beautiful kingdom Riazlora…Bakura had truly never realized what a powerful force water could be. From that small hole in the dam's surface, the murky substance gushed out in great waves, filling up the valley like a massive trough. It knocked aside the well-constructed wooden tower as if it were made of mere toothpicks and even sent the well-muscled Paradox brothers washing down the valley on a wave.

Bakura's eyes narrowed and he peered down at the rapidly drenching valley. While he had not known about the secret passage leading out of the Torike Tavern, he had indeed been in this valley before. He was quite familiar with all its nooks and crannies…and knew that there were not many outlets through which Yami and his long-haired female companion could escape…except…

The thief gasped and turned to gaze upon the cliff at the opposite side of the valley. There…chiseled into the stone surface…was a passageway he had used once or twice in his questionable career…and running toward it were Yami and the girl. His ex-partner had a tight hold of the young woman's arm and was racing with a determination that Bakura had not before seen in him. The duo finally disappeared into the tunnel's shadowy depths…and the rapidly flowing water rushed in after them.

Cursing under his breath, Bakura ran a stressful hand through his snowy hair…not because he was concerned for their safety, he knew there was a way out of that tunnel…but because he knew that it would give the fugitives quite the head start if he and Drearose did not get a move on. The thief glanced up at the sky. It was starting to turn a rose and gold shade, signaling the ever-quickening arrival of sunset. The recession of light was making the flood turn from dark blue to liquid obsidian. They had to get going before the land turned completely dark.

Bakura turned to look back at his partner…and frowned. Drearose was standing with her back against the sunbathed stone wall of the cliff, her green eyes wide…and vulnerable-looking. She still held gingerly to her injured wrist, he saw…but that was not the cause of her sudden expression of fear. Instead…she was looking up…and behind him.

Confused, the thief opened his mouth to inquire of her…but a horridly loud, ominous creak made his voice trail off. The girl's face went as pale as a ghost and her tense body grew even more rigid. Heart sinking with dread, Bakura slowly turned around…and saw exactly what he feared the sound indicated.

The dam…was giving way. The unrelenting pressure of the water behind that small opening was simply too much. Nails popped from the wood, one by one, followed by the boards themselves…and before long, the thief found himself staring at a more-or-less ocean surging toward him. He heard Drearose give a short cry…before they were both engulfed by water.

In spite of his experience-induced calmness in dire situations…Bakura was, to put it lightly, taken off guard by the sudden impact. In what seemed like milliseconds, he found himself spinning and flipping uncontrollably beneath the surface of the frigid liquid, his mind completely blank with shock. He inhaled several good mouthfuls of water before his sharp brain finally kicked in…and he forced himself to stop flailing and calm down.

The thief opened his eyes…and could see nothing in the dark, murky torrent. He had no way of discerning whether or not he was floating up or down…for his lungs held no air to keep him buoyant. Chest burning, he kicked in the direction he hoped against hope was down…and felt a surge of relief when his feet struck the solid surface of the ground. Bakura rocketed upward…and gasped as his head broke the surface.

The thief coughed violently, striving to clear his lungs as he tread water. Once the painful exertions passed, he drank in the wonderfully warm oxygen and wiped his soaking bangs away from his eyes so that he could take in the situation.

Looking around, Bakura saw that he was moving along at a speedy pace through the valley, passing the bowl-like walls of the cliff faster than if he was a galloping royal stallion. Fortunately, he was strong enough to swim sideways against the current…though he could not make his way back upstream. He had already passed the opening through which the fugitives had fled so he and Drearose would have to make quick work of getting out of the water and into the woods to meet up with them…He blinked.

"Drearose!"

Bakura cursed himself angrily. In his confusion, he'd forgotten all about her! Frantically, the thief glanced around. He saw waterlogged wood from the fallen tower, a few weedy plants, and a copious flood of water carrying it all…but no she-knight. Curses, where WAS she?

A distinct noise pierced through the white noise of the flood and the thief froze, focusing in on it. The sound stopped for a moment…and sounded again. This time, he was able to discern it…as coughing. Hope rising within him, Bakura took another circular scan of the area. At first he again, saw nothing…but as he was turning, he caught a glimpse of something moving several yards behind and to the side of him out of his peripheral vision. The thief locked his gaze in that direction…and gasped when a sopping blonde head briefly broke the surface, disappearing quickly underneath it again.

"Drearose!" Bakura shouted over the thunderous roar of the waves. The girl's head rose once more but vanished again. Apparently, with her broken wrist…she was having trouble treading water.

Summoning every last vestige of strength, Bakura took off through the water. His arms moved in swift, smooth strokes, gliding him swiftly over the turbulent surface. Drearose was drifting quickly though…and he wasn't sure if he could make it to her before she drifted too far away.

The girl's rose-like lips frantically reached oxygen for a brief moment more…and she used the chance to rasp out a single word.

"Bakura…!"

She sunk into the prison of the water again…and a fire was lit within the snowy-haired thief…unlike any fire he'd ever felt before. He had to get to her…no matter what. Adrenaline pumping through his veins, Bakura kicked the earth and launched himself forward, swimming with every last ounce of agility he possessed. She was only a few feet away from him…but that was a few feet in which she could drift out of his reach.

Finally, Bakura struck at the ground with his feet again, leaping forward. He glided over the water…and wrapped his arms around the floundering Drearose. Using one arm to stay afloat, he slid his hand around her middle, boosting her head out of the water.

The girl gasped and choked, winding her arms around his neck in a desperate attempt to get out of the constricting water. She was frightened, rightfully so…but there was something intense, something…wild about her terror. It was almost as if this surging river…had brought to life some deep and terrible nightmare within her.

The thief gasped as Drearose tightened her hold on him, desperately trying to escape from the vice of the water. Bakura's head was dunked under and he came back up with a mouthful of water…and a heart full of confirmed suspicion. Something about this fiasco had awakened a primal fear within Drearose…and it was vital that he calm it.

Holding tight to the girl, Bakura shoved his foot down into the ground. He knew from his previous expeditions of this valley…that the ground was littered with sizable rocks. Once, the thief had attempted to set up camp here but he could not locate a suitable patch of ground that was not lumpy with stones. He had cursed those hundreds of rocks to the darkest pits of hell that day…and now he was begging every god he knew of that he would run across just one.

Bakura closed his eyes in concentration…and sighed in relief when his foot caught on something solid. His body jerked slightly as the force of the torrent strove to push him downstream…but the rock kept him precariously grounded. It would hold…but probably not for long. He had to rectify this situation fast.

Drearose was still clutching him tightly. Her torso was smashed up against his and he would have blushed…if it were not for the "life and death" part of their current position. Bakura slid his hands up from her waist and grasped her upper arms, gently but firmly pulling her a little away from him. The blonde's eyes were wide and her chest heaved with panic. The thief murmured her name…but she seemed not to hear him over the deafening white noise. He sighed. It seemed there was only one way to do this…and it was a way with which he was not entirely comfortable or familiar.

Bakura reached up…and took her face between his pale hands, turning it to look into his. Drearose's frightened jade eyes blinked rapidly and she tried to turn her head…but he would not let her.

"Rose…" he said firmly, leaning closer so that his piercing brown eyes stared directly into hers. He rubbed his thumbs across the tender skin beneath her eyes…and she stopped struggling. The girl looked at him with confusion…and wariness.

Although her terror had obviously lessened or at least been distracted, the thief did not relinquish his grip. He had to have her full attention…and to be honest, he found that he did not entirely mind the close contact.

"It's going to be fine, blondie…" Bakura murmured in a soft, calming voice. He pulled one hand away from the girl's face and slid it back around her middle so that he could stand erect in the water. "Look…the water only comes up to my shoulders and there is drift wood floating all over the place. We can get out of this if we just let the water take us downstream…but only if you remain calm and don't drown us." He said that last with his usual cocky smirk in order to keep himself from completely loosing his reputation.

Drearose kept her gaze locked firmly on his…and the thief felt her frantically heaving chest slow into a calmer rhythm. She closed her eyes for a moment, swallowed, and reopened them.

"I…I can't swim well with my hand…" the knight muttered.

Bakura nodded. "That's fine. I can keep you afloat. I just need to wait for a piece of wood…here's one, hold onto me!"

The snowy-haired youth latched onto a large beam drifting down the river and let it pull them along. Drearose gasped…but she retained her newfound calm, holding onto the wood with her good hand and winding her injured arm around Bakura's neck. Although he truly did not have to…Bakura never released his grip on her waist. He wanted to know if she was beginning to loose control again…and in all honesty, he found he had actually been worried about her…not because she could have drowned him…but for HER sake.

The thief sighed softly and shook his head. He barely recognized himself lately. First he lost his temper because of seeing a knight, of all people, injured…and now he was holding that same knight against his chest…against his heart. Perhaps…despite his efforts…he would still end up loosing his reputation in the end.

After what seemed like an eternity of floating in the frigid water, its depths began to grow shallower as the dam drained. Before long they were standing hip deep and wading through the liquid toward the terrestrial doorway to the forest.

Bakura took Drearose's arm and began leading her out of the lake. "Come on, blondie…" he muttered in a voice that belied his true exhaustion. "We've got to get a head start before Yami and his friend venture too far from us."

The girl nodded silently. Leaning wearily on each other's arms, the two waterlogged youths trudged laboriously out of the water…and back onto the road of their journey.

X

Tea couldn't decide what was worse…the foreboding rush of the pursuing water behind her…or the unnerving lack of light within the cave. There were just enough rays of sun creeping in through the opening many yards behind them to let her see her own hand in front of her face or the bodies of her companions running frenetically alongside her…but the passage was otherwise filled with shadow.

They were dashing through a narrow tunnel…the girl could tell that much by the hard stone floor and the absence of echoing…but other than that, their destination was a black abyss. Tea was clutching her hair so tightly to her side that her fingernails dug into her ribcage…but she didn't care. Yami held her forearm so intently as they ran that she suspected a bruise would appear…but she made no effort to loosen his grip. All she cared about…was getting away from the deadly wall of water surging along behind them.

Suddenly, the stone walls around them began to shake and a low growling noise resounded throughout the tunnel. Tea looked ahead at Yami with a frightened and confused expression and he murmured something that sounded like a curse…but was in a language which she had never heard.

"The water is too much for the cave…" he announced gravely, turning to meet her gaze but never slowing his pace. "We'll need to be on the lookout for falling rocks from now on."

The young man's face grim face was ghostly pale…and Tea suspected it had nothing to do with the dim lighting. As if to emphasize his point, dust and small stones started to crumble from the dark ceiling. The brunette had to keep her head bent low as she ran to avoid getting the debris in her azure eyes. Kuriboh buried his face in her guide's spiked hair, his entire fuzzy body trembling with fear. Tea was terrified too…but she also knew that she had to remain calm and focus all her attention on getting out of this mess alive.

The trio fled in heavy silence, save for the white noise and low grumbling, for several agonizing minutes. Once that time had passed, however…the blue-eyed beauty found she could no longer bear to listen to the water or the cave…it only made the fear within her verge on the edge of panic. Hoping to give herself a further incentive to run, she glanced backward…and immediately wished she had not. The flood was coming in a massive wall of frothing, murky blue…and they had only a few yards head start.

Heart pounding even faster than before, Tea turned back around…and yelped as the entire passage shook violently. The vibrations caused both her and Yami to stumble…and the growling of the cave to intensify. Dirt and pebbles fell upon them like rain. The girl found that she had to stop, only for a second, so that she could rub the waste from her eyes. A second was far enough however…for a sickening cracking noise to fill her ears…and a wave of fresh horror to freeze her limbs.

"TEA!" Yami's scream reached her over the shrieking tunnel…but did not awaken her dazed mind. She was completely immobile.

Suddenly, the girl felt strong arms wrap around her middle and jerk her forward. Then…she heard a yelp of pain and her foggy brain snapped back to reality. A pile of heavy stones had fallen, blocking off the way through which they had come in the tunnel. It was holding back some of the water…but there were still several sizable gaps through which liquid rapidly squirted, dousing the floor and filling it so far to her ankles.

Kuriboh stood on the ground before her, looking at her with wide worried eyes…and Tea felt her heart lurch when she realized why. The stones…had fallen directly where she had been standing a few moments before. If she had not been pulled out of the way…she shuddered to think what might have happened. Her heart lurched again. The girl had been MOVED out of the way…she hadn't moved herself…which meant…

Heart sinking with dread, Tea slowly looked up…and saw precisely what she hoped NOT to see. It was, of course, Yami who had pulled her out of the rocks' path. He was leaning against the wall of the tunnel opposite her…his hand clamped over a spot on his bicep. Blood dripped through his fingers, signifying that, in his attempt to rescue her…he had been cut by a rather sharp stone.

"No…!" Tea rushed toward him and tried to pull his hand away from the wound to get a better look…but he shook his head.

"It's all right…" Yami said in a firm but slightly tired voice, pushing away from the wall. "It's only a scrape." He surveyed the barricade of rock and gave another one of those odd curses. "Well, there goes our way back…but I doubt all those stones will hold for long. Let's go!"

Nodding swiftly, Tea followed him through the now nearly pitch-dark passage. The water had risen above her ankles now and Kuriboh was clinging to her shoulders in an attempt to stay out of it. They had to find a way out of here…before the temporary blockage gave way and the water's full wrath was unleashed upon them.

The group rounded a curve in the passage…and Yami suddenly froze. Tea nearly ran into him from behind. She started to ask what was wrong….but her words trailed off. No longer were they inside a narrow tunnel…but a large, open chamber. However…the girl could deduce this not by sight…but by the echoing of the running water…for the chamber was completely black. She could barely see her guide standing next to her, gazing in speechless horror at the room before them.

"Yami…" Tea whispered, tugging at his good arm urgently. "…the water."

Wasting no more time, the youth nodded and ran toward a wall. He stretched out his pale hands and grunted as they hit the unforgivably hard surface. Blindly, Yami began feeling around the rocks, searching for an opening, a crack, anything that would allow them escape. Tea did the same, probing with her delicate fingers, digging the handle of her frying pan into the cracks of the stone…but neither of them could locate an exit. A loud thudding sound reached the brunette's ears…and she winced when she felt the water begin to rise a little faster up her calves. Some of the stones had fallen away from the barricade…and the flood's speed had just increased.

Yami groaned loudly and turned, slumping against the rock wall. Though she could not clearly see his black-clad body, she could still make out his pale skin and grim face. His breath was coming out in heavy, fatigued gasps and he winced as his wound obviously ached.

"It's no use…" the guide croaked, his thickly-lashed eyes closed as he breathed. "…it's pitch dark in here…and I can't seem to find any way out…over time the…rocks probably caved in…blocking whatever escape passage used to…be here…"

He did not continue…but Tea could follow the thought. Panic rose within her and she shook her head rapidly. No…they weren't going to just stand here and drown…they couldn't. Feeling frantic, the girl drew back her frying pan and slammed the broad end into the stone wall in front of her. The hard contact of iron against stone vibrated through her painfully and she gave a yelp before stumbling to the floor, drenching her body in the knee-deep water. Kuriboh was floating next to her, squeaking sadly for her to stop…but she wouldn't stop…she couldn't.

Weakly, Tea got back to her feet and raised the pan to strike again…but it was pulled from her grasp. Strong hands took her shuddering shoulders, pulling her struggling form into a hard chest…and she found herself gazing into Yami's fiery eyes. Even in this impenetrable darkness…they still burned with an intensity she never could have imagined. His thumbs moved over her wet skin, striving to calm her.

"It is no use…" Yami murmured, softly if not calmly. He reached up and gently brushed her chocolate bangs from her eyes…but said nothing else. What else was there to say? They were trapped…and the water was still coming.

The girl closed her eyes in despair and slouched against the wall next to her companion. Her heart had stopped its irregular thudding…and was now sinking into a darkness deeper than that of the cave. Kuriboh floated next to her shoulder, nuzzling her cheek gently…but it did little to comfort her. All of this…had happened because of her…and she was taking not only her life…but the lives of her friends as well.

"Maybe…I really am no match for this world…" Tea whispered dejectedly. She felt Yami's ruby eyes turn to gaze at her questioningly…but she could not bear to meet them. "This is all my fault…Mother was right….I never should have done this…"

Tears welled in the girl's eyes. She glanced over at her guide…saw the blood dripping from his arm…heard the water still rushing in…and pressed her hand over her eyes as the tears came. After so many years of her life…one simple disobedience had caused all this? Perhaps…Mother truly did know best…

"I'm…I'm so sorry, Yami…" Tea sobbed quietly, keeping her hand firmly clamped over her face. Even if he could already tell she was crying…she was determined to hide her tears…the tears she had no right to shed since this entire disaster was her fault.

Yami was silent for several moments…but finally he muttered, "To begin my life…."

Tea looked up at him in confusion. "…What?"

"You asked me at the Torike Tavern what my dream was…" he explained, eyes sad and gentle. "…my dream is to stop living like an urchin…and to find the one thing that will finally begin my life. I don't know what that is…" He gave her an uncharacteristically sheepish smile. "But I figured someone might as well know what I've been trying to covertly do all these years…"

The girl could not help but smile through her tears. Here they were…destined to drown in this pit…and he was sharing something he had obviously never told anyone else with her. Well…she could do the same for him.

"I have magic hair that glows when I dance." Tea said with an equally shamefaced smile.

"…What?" Yami asked in confusion…and his perplexity only grew when he saw the sudden grin of an idea plastered on her face.

"I have…magic hair…that glows when I dance!" Tea practically shouted with joy. She glanced at the tunnel through which they had come…at the water rising just above her knees…and finally at her companion.

Taking both his hands in hers, the girl said seriously, "Listen to me, Yami. Do you remember ANY of the dance movements I showed you back at the tavern?"

"A few…" He replied with slow wariness. His eyebrows were raised in an expression that would have been comical if not for the dire circumstances.

"Okay…" Tea pulled him away from the wall and waded out into the center of the chamber. "I need you to follow my lead and dance with me. With your help…I should be able to move through this water."

"What? But why in the name of…"

"Please!" the girl cried, gazing pleadingly into his eyes. "I've trusted you to lead me along the road the lanterns…now I need YOU to trust ME to get us back on that road alive! Can you trust me?"

Yami's blood eyes clashed with her eyes of water…and he nodded slowly. "Yes."

"Then follow my lead," Tea murmured and pulled him closer to her.

She placed one of her hands in his…and began to move slowly yet skillfully through the water. Yami, though still confused, followed her movements, adding his strength so that she could perform the ritualistic dance even with the water weighing her down. The water was rising up her thighs now…and she cringed as the last movement was a stunningly elegant twirl.

Still water dancing, the brunette glanced at her partner and murmured, "In a few moments I'm going to spin into you…after that, I need you to help me twirl in the water."

He nodded…and as she promised, Tea smoothly glided into his arms. Her back leaned against his muscled chest…and his hands went down to grip her waist. The girl could not help but blush at the contact…and gasped as he lifted her slightly from the water. Wasting no time, she raised one foot, pressing the heel firmly to her other leg…and her partner spun her around in a slow but graceful circle. She went round and round, feeling the water rise up to Yami's chest…and finally…her hair lit up like fireworks. The gold power illuminated the entire chamber…and her companion actually dropped her in shock.

Landing on her feet, the water up to her collarbone, Tea grinned. "Hurry! We have to look for the way out!"

Yami blinked…and didn't get a move on until Kuriboh grabbed and pulled on one of his bangs. He shot the little creature a glare before stumbling, or rather swimming through the lit water in search of their salvation. After splashing about for a few minutes…he finally found it…in the form of a rusty lever concealed in a corner of the chamber.

"So that's where it was hidden…" Yami muttered. He took a deep breath and dove beneath the surface.

He was submerged for many heart stopping moments, obviously tugging at the lever. The flood rose above Tea's head and she had to rely on what air she inhaled into her lungs before its arrival. She waited, hair casting a glittering, sunny glow throughout the water…and finally…the lever gave way.

In response, a section of the stone wall slid away, revealing more water, a river perhaps…but the girl could see sunlight on the other side. Cheeks puffed out with air, Yami motioned urgently to her. Tea nodded, grabbed Kuriboh's stumpy leg….and they all three swam frantically for the surface.

The travelers burst from the river's vice at the same time and clung to the bank. Tea coughed and gasped, hearing Yami do the same next to her while Kuriboh collapsed into a sopping ball of wet fur on the wonderfully warm earth. The brunette's eyes closed and she drank in the sweet taste of fresh air.

"It worked…" she whispered and lay there for a moment longer. She couldn't believe that once again…she had actually proven Mother wrong…perhaps…she COULD handle this world. Finally, Tea pulled her drenched form out of the water and took a quick look around.

They had emerged in the forest again, surrounded by trees and foliage. The soft golden rays of sunlight crept through the trees, signaling the fast-approaching arrival of sunset.

Meanwhile, Yami was still resting with his upper torso on the bank and his lower half in the river. His shoulders heaved up and down and his head was hung low, red, black, and blonde locks droopy and dripping with water.

"Her hair glows…" he mumbled to himself. "I…did NOT see that coming…"

"Yami…" the girl started as she reeled in her drenched tresses.

"Her hair…GLOWS…." He said again and looked at Kuriboh with a hilariously incredulous expression. "WHY does her hair glow?"

"Yami!"

"WHAT?"

Tea laughed softly and shook her head. She glanced at his wounded arm, then back at his wide eyes. It was time to tell him…or rather show him the truth.

"It doesn't just glow…" 

The spiky-haired young man stared at her for a long moment. He glanced at Kuriboh…and raised his eyebrows when he saw the creature's happy expression.

"Why is he smiling at me…?" Yami inquired with a touch of worry to his tone.

Tea merely smiled and finished tugging her hair from the river.

"Come one. Let's find someplace to set up camp…and I'll tell you everything."

**I hope you liked and please review ^_^! The next chapter may be delayed a bit (busy weekend) but it shouldn't be too long :).**

**I DO NOT OWN YUGIOH OR TANGLED**


	10. Campfires and Revelations

**I DO NOT OWN YUGIOH OR TANGLED**

**Onto chapter ten XD! By the way…remember the Egyptian goddess thingy that kicked Zorc's rear end at the end of the Millennium World saga? Her name is Horahkty (in the manga at least) and she is important :).**

**Aqua girl 007: Thanks ^_^! I was lolling imagining Yami say, "Why is he smiling at me?" XD.**

**Sunrise Phoenix: Thanks :)! Hahaha that was a fun scene to write ^_^.**

**MutantEnemy101: Aw, thank you ^_^. I really enjoyed writing Bakura and Drearose's scene :).**

**Sailorblaze: I am indeed using "It Takes Two" ^_^.**

**The Real Contestshipping Princess: Thank you ^_^! Haha Bakura and Yami are my FAVORITE Yugioh characters XD.**

**Kender20: Hahaha yup ^_^! There is quite a story behind Yami and Tea's power ;).**

**Vampiressbeauty20: Hahaha poor Yami XD… he can handle giant evil serpents and demons but when it comes to frying pans and dust bunnies…he's met his match ^_^.**

**Infernoinside: Thank you ^_^! Hahah so do I XD.**

**Darky2510: Hahah it's the Pharaoh Hair Express XD! Yup, LOTS of YamiXTea and BakuraXDrearose in this chapter ^_^. By the way, I LOVE your profile pic! Pascal is so CUTE!**

**Coka Cookie Cola: Thanks :)! Hahaha its fine XD. LOL I know, right? **

**Sorceress of the Nile: Thanks ^_^! Haha that is my FAVORITE line in the entire movie XD.**

**X**

Chono's cold blue eyes surveyed the forest with the agility and perception of a cat, her lips forming into a snarl. She was concealed in a thicket of trees near one of the royal roads, her dark cloak pulled over her bright hair…and the sharp dagger clutched firmly in her hand. She had followed the drunk's instructions and wandered to this area of the forest…but so far had not caught sight of her daughter or the thief. However…now she could hear two pairs of footsteps several yards up the road… and they were coming in her direction.

Her cruel fingers tightened on the dagger's hilt and she risked peeking out from behind the tree. She could see two shadows forming on the sunset-bathed road…though their shapes were still indeterminate. The woman crept forward…one hand braced on the tree…the other raising her weapon…ready to strike…and she froze when an unfamiliar voice reached her ears.

"I'll kill them! I'll kill Yami and Bakura!" snarled a rough man's voice.

Chono's eyes narrowed in annoyance. She retreated slightly behind her tree…but still peered out from behind the trunk. Two bald-headed twin males staggered up the road, their faces contorted into equally nasty growls. Their faces had an Asian look to them and their foreheads were each imprinted with a different Oriental character. The one who had spoken wore a green kimono, his brother an orange one…and both of them were completely drenched with water.

The orange-clad one nodded. "We'll cut them off at the kingdom…and get back the crown. Come on!"

Chono's breath caught. So her daughter's little friend…was an enemy of these two? She glanced down at the brown satchel hidden beneath her cloak. And…they were after the crown? Her lips twisted into a crafty smile. Perhaps she could use this to her advantage...

Dashing off her hood, the woman stepped out from her hiding place and called, "Or…perhaps you could stop acting like wild dogs chasing their tails and THINK for a moment…"

Both twins turned and stared at the stranger on the hill. Their eyes narrowed in suspicion…and flared with incredulity when she held out the satchel. They unsheathed swords from their belts and brandished them. Chono laughed scornfully.

"Oh please, there's no need for that," she chuckled and tossed the bag to them.

The man in the green kimono snatched it from the air and struggled to pull it open. His brother wrestled to see inside…and gawked when he pulled out the glimmering crown. Both men turned and stared stupidly at their mysterious benefactress.

"Well…" Chono sighed, examining her fingernails casually. "If that's all you want, then be on your way. I WAS going to offer you something worth one thousand crowns…would've made you rich beyond belief and that wasn't even the best part…"

She giggled sweetly and turned as if to leave. "Oh well…enjoy your crown, gentlemen."

Her back was facing them now…and she waited. She could feel the duo looking at each other in dimwitted curiosity…and then staring at her.

"What's the best part?"

The woman's slightly sagging lips twisted into a grin. She reached into the satchel…turned…and produced a familiar sheet of paper. Drawn on it…were two boys, one of which had slickly spiked hair.

"It comes with revenge on Yami…" she giggled.

The brothers looked at each other…back at her…and nodded, their mouths both twisting into unpleasant grins.

X

The woods were truly quite lovely at night. Blanketed in a thick veil of shadows, the trees surrounded the clearing, silhouetted in the night and seeming like terrestrial guardians of the shadowed forest. The light of the campfire cast a pleasant amber glow over everything, making the shadows dance as if they were putting on their own little show. While its light allowed sufficient visibility, it was not so bright as to block out the beauteous sky above. It was like a sea of vaporous obsidian, dotted with millions of crystallic stars.

Taking all this in, Bakura could not help but sigh in genuine contentment. He and his partner had made a good deal of progress before night fell…and they were finally able to stop for a comfortable night's sleep. The luxury was certainly well-deserved after the nightmarish situation they had conquered only hours beforehand.

Since that perilous fiasco with the dam, the travelers' clothes had sufficiently dried out and lightened with the loss of water…but their bodies were even more fatigued. They needed a decent night's rest…and, in the she-knight's case, some medical attention.

That was precisely what Bakura and Drearose were doing right now. Sitting with her legs tucked to one side in a very feminine posture, the girl stared absently off into space as her companion used a few sticks and a shred of cloth torn from his own navy shirt to splint her wrist.

Normally, Bakura would have taken five minutes tops to remedy any minor but painful injury such as this…but he found himself being a lot more careful than usual. He held her ivory hand in his, careful not to press to hard as he tied the cloth in place. Surveying the terrible purple bruising, the thief could actually feel a red cloud of rage descending upon him. He simply could not believe Yami, of all honor-bound people…had wounded her so cruelly. Then again…he realized…his ex-partner could have inflicted far worse injuries upon the girl. He could have simply allowed her to fall over the edge of the platform…but he did not. Why then…was Bakura so mentally disturbed by something as simple as a broken wrist…?

The thief gritted his teeth and gave imperceptible shake of the head to clear his mind. He didn't want to contemplate it…because he was not sure he would like the answer he found. Finally, he finished tying the splint…and sat back in the grass to gaze thoughtfully at his patient.

Drearose was not looking at him, rather her emerald eyes were locked on the gracefully dancing campfire. Her blonde hair had come out of her bun, tumbling down to her waist and seeming to glow in the dim lighting. Good hand clasped lightly in her lap, the girl's ivory skin was also radiant against the dark fabric of her green dress. All in all…Drearose looked quite stunning in the night…but the thief could tell she was far from feeling as lovely as she appeared. Her full lips were pale, her shoulders rigid, and her green eyes, reflecting the light of the fire…were distant and shadowed.

Bakura shifted slightly so that he was setting cross-legged beside her. The soft sound seemed to bring the girl back from whatever universe she had wandered to and she glanced down at her splinted wrist.

"Oh…thank you…" Drearose murmured. Almost inaudibly, she added, "And thank you…for saving me when the dam collapsed today. I'm sorry I couldn't be more helpful... She gave him a small smile…but it vanished almost as quickly as it had come…and her eyes returned to the fire.

The snowy-haired thief watched her for a moment longer…and finally opened his mouth to speak.

"Normally…" He began in a low tone and waited for the girl to look at him. When she finally did…he could see himself reflected in her eyes. Pure white hair…pale skin made even whiter by his dark clothing…and piercing chocolate eyes that belied something quite deep and dark. They were so very similar…alit in the shroud of nightfall…yet haunted by a secret darkness within.

"Normally…" Bakura repeated, gaze wandering to the flickering flames as he spoke. "…I wouldn't care one way or the other about my business acquaintances…but there is something about you that has me fascinated, blondie." His eyes locked with hers…and his tone turned deadly serious. "So tell me…what is your story…and what is it that had you so distressed in the flood…and continues to haunt you right now?"

Drearose studied his face for a long moment. She opened her mouth slightly, probably to deny being "haunted." Then…she gave a heavy sigh and hung her head low.

"I suppose there is no harm in telling you…" she muttered. "…since I probably will not be returning to the royal cavalry."

"What?" Bakura started but the girl held up a hand for silence.

Drearose took a deep breath…and started. "Years ago…Captain Seto Kaiba and his younger brother Mokuba…were adopted by a wealthy shop owner in the city known as Gozaburo."

"Lovely to know, dearie, but I asked about YOUR past, not Kaiba's."

The girl smirked wryly. "Yes, well…Kaiba just so happens to be a very important part of my past as well as my present."

The thief raised his brows, encouraging her to continue.

"Unfortunately…Gozaburo was a very cold, stern man. He pushed Kaiba to the very edge of human endurance and…" her eyes grew dark with anger. "…in MY opinion…turned him into the hard, ruthless man he is today. Therefore I am ashamed to admit…that he is a distant relative of mine…a cousin on my mother's side."

"Small world…" Bakura remarked.

She nodded. "Yes, well…apparently it's a bit TOO small. You see…my parents, they…drowned in a ship wreck when I was twelve." She swallowed hard. "I survived the wreck…but I was…and I guess still am wracked with guilt because I could do nothing to help them. So…I decided that no matter what obstacles I had to overcome…I was going to become a knight of the royal army. I wanted to be someone who had the power to help people who couldn't help themselves."

The girl gave a tiny, embarrassed smile and Bakura smiled back. He leaned his cheek against his palm and gazed at her until she blushed and looked away.

"Anyway…" she continued. "…when my parents passed away, there was no one else left in my family to take me in…no one except Gozaburo Kaiba. He wasn't at all happy about it…but he did not want the rest of the city to see him for the snake he truly was. I went to live in his home…although I can scarcely call it a home. There was no joy there…no warmth of any kind." The girl shuddered reflectively.

"When I arrived, Kaiba had already gone off to begin his squire training. Because of that…Mokuba got out of the house and spent time with his brother whenever he could…but had to spend the nights alone under Gozaburo's miserable roof…or he WOULD have…if I had not been there. He's a kind-hearted, intelligent boy so I did my best to be an older sibling to him whenever Kaiba could not. However…I would not simply rot away in that prison. I told Gozaburo that I wanted to become a knight…and he of course laughed at the idea. He told me that a woman could never do anything of true power or significance…and that just made me want to do it even more."

Drearose's jade eyes were alive with a fire of feistiness…and Bakura could not help but grin.

"Fortunately, the old venom-spewing senior Kaiba died, killed by his own black heart. Seto then inherited his entire estate and took custody of his younger brother. He was quickly rising up the ranks of the army, a fine soldier admired by all…but he had one problem. That problem was me…and what he was going to do with me. I told Kaiba that I wanted to become a knight…and he too laughed at the notion. Apparently, though, Mokuba went to his brother and reasoned with him on my behalf…told him that I had been good to him when he wasn't there."

"I'll bet THAT did a lot of good…" the thief muttered, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

"Actually, it did," Drearose replied. "Kaiba is cold and none-too-easily persuaded…but he is still a man of honor. He felt that he owed me something for my kindness to Mokuba…and he HATES owing someone a favor even more than he hates getting involved in complicated matters." She chuckled and added, "Plus, he knew he could kill two birds with one stone by sending me to the castle for training. He repaid his debt AND got my out of his house at the same time…and though he is or at least WAS grateful to me for taking care of his brother…that doesn't mean he believes that I have the strength or skill to be a true knight."

Bakura said slowly, "So…I don't understand why you can't go back to your normal duties as a knight when this is all over."

Because…" the girl began, her voice quavering slightly. Her hands clenched in the effort to suppress emotion and she winced in pain at the injured one. "…I am starting to think he's right. Maybe I really DON'T have what it takes to be a knight…" her eyes closed miserably and she bit her lip. "You saw me today, Bakura…I panicked when the water came…because it reminded me of that horrible day when my parents died on the ocean. How am I supposed to save other people when I can't even save myself?"

"Drearose…" Bakura grasped her upper arms, making her look up at him in surprise. Her green eyes were glistening with tears…though she strove desperately to keep them back. "Don't you see that you DID save yourself?

She shook her head. "No I didn't! If you hadn't been there…I don't know WHAT I would have done…!"

The thief chuckled softly and she shot him a look full of hurt before dropping her head in shame again. He smiled gently, not in amusement at her obvious pain…but at how confused she truly was.

"Blondie, think about what happened today…" the white-haired youth murmured.

Drearose looked up at him in perplexity.

"You were indeed terrified…." He continued. "…but when I grabbed you and spoke to you…you made yourself calm down. It takes quite a bit of strength for someone NOT to panic in a situation such as that…but it takes even more to calm down when panic has already struck. You did EXACTLY that."

The blonde kept her gaze on his for a moment…and slowly averted her eyes. "But…I am still what Kaiba says… 'a woman with a woman's weaknesses'."

"Well…perhaps that's just what the army needs," Bakura replied with a sly smile. He slid his finger beneath her chin and turned her head to face him. "Zorc knows they have enough men with men's weaknesses. They don't need a woman pretending to be a man…they need a woman acting as what she is…a true knight."

Drearose's green eyes, wide…shocked…and tear-filled…stayed frozen on his. A single lock of golden hair fell into her face and he reached up, tucking it carefully behind her ear.

"You really think…that I…can be a soldier…?" the girl whispered, a single tear slipping from her eye.

Bakura moved his hand from her hair to her cheek and gently brushed the droplet away. His hand settled on her face…and remained there. He could feel his own face burning, his heart pounding at shock at his seemingly instinctual actions…but he did not pull away.

"I most certainly do," the thief answered in a firm, unwavering tone.

The two remained in their position for several heart stopping minutes, gazing at each other in silence. Then, remembering his "thief reputation"…Bakura pulled back and stood up. He turned his back to her and walked several feet away to set up his sleeping area. His face was burning with embarrassment and bewilderment at what he has just done.

"A-anyway…" he said, mentally cursing the stammer in his voice. "We should get some rest, blondie. We have a long day ahead of us."

The thief glanced back at the girl and saw her nod.

"Y-you're right…of course…" her voice grew firmer…but somehow more intimate. "Good night, Bakura."

Bakura studied her over his shoulder…saw her golden hair…lightly flushed skin…sparkling green eyes…small, sweet smile on her rosy lips…and felt a thrill jolt through his heart.

"Good night, Rose…" He murmured and finally lay down in the soft, dark grass to sleep.

X

In the hour or so it had taken them to set up a decent campsite, Yami had officially determined that today was the strangest day he had ever experienced. He had woken up, shivering in a dingy back alley that morning, stolen a crown, evaded soldiers, been knocked out several times with a frying pan, escaped a massive flood with his life….and now he was in the woods, safe and sound if only a bit tired.

Sighing in exasperation, he tossed a casual scan around the area he and Tea had chosen to spend the evening. Softly lit by the golden light of the campfire, they were in a small clearing surrounded by towering trees. Thick, twisting foliage surrounded them, looking grotesque in the darkness far from the fire's light.

Currently, Yami was sitting on a fallen log, Tea beside him. Kuriboh stood on the other side of the log, watching intently…as his mistress wound her hair around the guide's cut arm. His ruby eyes searched her intently. The girl's azure gaze was locked firmly on her work, her face lit by the light of the fire. Tea's lengthy hair was given a slightly reddish tint in the golden glow…and it made her look even more beautiful than ever.

Blushing, Yami cleared his throat. "So…you're being strangely cryptic as you wrap your 'magic hair' around my injured arm…" he winced, a sharp bolt of pain zinging through his arm when she pulled the hair taut.

"I'm sorry…" Tea lamented, her blue eyes pained. She finished securing the hair and let her fingers wander softly down her patient's arm, her gaze slowly rising to meet his. "Just don't….don't freak out…" she implored him.

Yami gave her a confused and worried look. He glanced down at his arm. She had tied the end of it to the injured spot, leaving the rest of it loose. It was only hair…soft, silky, and the color of chocolate…but the youth could no longer look at it as such. According to Tea…it possessed mystical abilities…and those abilities were far more intricate than simply its being able to glow.

Taking a deep breath, the brunette stood to her feet and smoothed out her cerulean dress. Carefully, she stepped over the log on which they sat…and wandered over to a clearer spot of land. She turned around to face him…and began to dance.

As she moved and spun…Yami thought she looked more like a mystical fairy of the night than a simple girl. Her skin glowed white in the silvery moonlight, further enhanced by the darkness surrounding her. Her hair danced along with her, seeming even darker than usual…and her dress flowed like water around her graceful legs. Then…Tea's hair…started to glow bright gold. Starting at her head, the luminous color snaked around, following the long rope…until it reached the section on Yami's arm. That too lit up…and he felt an odd warm sensation on the wound.

The youth gasped and glanced at Kuriboh. The little creature was watching him with a cutely smug expression on his fuzzy features. He gave a soft squeak and gestured to his arm with a stubby, green limb. Brows narrowing in perplexity, Yami looked down at his arm…at the shimmering strands wrapped tightly around it…and saw the magic dancing like tiny fireworks over his pale skin. His eyes widened in shock and he looked up at Tea.

The brunette was still spinning…twirling…dancing in the moonlight. Her black-lashed eyes were closed, lost in the deep passion of her fluid movements. Yami stared at her…at the golden hair…back at her…and felt his heart begin to pound. He knew this…this power…that DANCE…he had seen it before…though it had been quite the number of years since then. But no…it couldn't be….could it? He swallowed in his suddenly dry throat. There was only one way to find out…

Finally, Tea ended her nighttime performance in a graceful position, hand held elegantly over her head. The glow of her hair slowly faded from sunny amber to deep brown…and her eyes opened. Bright azure gems glittering in the moonlight locked with crimson orbs of fire…and her peach-like lips formed into a slow, tentative smile. The girl made her way back over to the log, sat down…and gestured to her guide's arm.

Yami watched her for a moment, then glanced at Kuriboh. The puffball, snuggled comfortably against his mistress's bare feet, nodded encouragingly. Hesitantly, Yami grasped the hair…unwound it from his arm…and drew a sharp intake of breath. He seized his arm, long fingers probing along the pale skin…but could find no wound. Not even a drop of blood remained on his flesh as evidence of the gash… His breath was coming rapidly now. It all made sense…when he had woken up in the tower…he hadn't dreamed of receiving thorn cuts in the forest…she had HEALED them while he was unconscious. And now…he was certain that she had done it using a power…that was older than Riazlora itself.

The young man's face must have displayed intense shock because Tea raised her hands frantically and cried, "Please don't freak out!"

Yami closed his eyes and inhaled deeply. Then…he opened them and replied in a rather croaking voice, "I-I am NOT freaking out…I'm just uh…" he cleared his throat and tugged at the collar of his black shirt. "…very interested in your hair and the magical qualities it possesses. How…how long has it been doing that…exactly…?"

"Um…forever…I guess…" Tea giggled and blushed lightly. Her expression suddenly grew grim. "When I was a baby…people tried to cut it. They wanted it for themselves. But once it's cut…it looses its power." She fingered the bangs caressing her forehead.

Yami nodded slowly. He had noticed that her bangs were the one part of her hair that did NOT glow when she was dancing…

Tea's azure eyes were locked on the campfire as she continued. "A gift like that…has to be protected. That's why Mother never let me…." She trailed off and bit her lip. "…that's why I never left…"

"You never left that tower…" the red-eyed youth completed.

The girl sighed heavily and nodded. She turned her face away, her fingers nervously playing with a few strands of mystical hair. Yam felt as though his heart had risen into his throat. He shifted uncomfortably on the log and leaned forward, clenching his fists tightly to keep from blurting out his next barrage of questions.

"So that dance…is the only way your hair's power can be activated?"

Tea nodded. "Yeah…Mother says its power is an ancient one…that it came from a flower…"

"The Flower of Horahkty…" Yami breathed out before he could stop himself.

The girl visibly jumped in surprise. She whipped around to face him, her eyes wide with shock. "How…how do you know that? Only Mother and I know that…no one else…"

The young man's heart froze…as did Tea's expression. She searched his face deeply, murmuring, "In the tavern…you knew how to slow dance yet you didn't know the simple folk dances that even the poorest peasants perform daily. And…in the cave…I kept hearing you mutter words in a strange language I didn't recognize…when I danced just now…I saw something like recognition on your face…" Her body grew as rigid as wire and Kuriboh looked up at her in concern. "You said you were an urchin…how did you become that in the first place? Who ARE you?"

Yami held her gaze for a long moment. Then…he sighed heavily and kneaded his forehead with weary fingers. Somehow…he had always known this day would come…no matter what he did to prevent it…the day when he slipped up…and someone noticed the odd details in his story. Though he had subconsciously been aware of that fact…he had never bothered to plan how he was going to handle it. It suddenly felt as though the warming fire had been put out…and the darkness of the night was reaching out with cold, accusing fingers to tear the blackest secrets from his heart.

"You wouldn't…believe me if I told you, Tea…" the youth whispered, his voice raspy with something like fear. As much as he tried not to…he had truly grown to be fond of this girl…what would he do…if she decided his mind was plagued by mental insanity and ran off? Would he continue his lonely life as a street rat…and die at the hands of the royal soldiers?

Yami felt a light touch on his arm…and he looked up. Tea was gazing at him, her azure eyes…tender…gentle…encouraging. "You can tell me…" she murmured.

He stared at her. Could he? Could he truly ask her to set aside everything she knew…and accept something that he himself would not have believed if it had happened to someone else?

Hesitantly, he opened his mouth to ask, "Can you keep an open mind and heart?"

The girl gave a wry smirk. "I just told you that I have magic hair that glows when I dance…" she chuckled. "I think that I can afford to go on a little faith here."

She then inched closer to him on the log and placed her elbows on her knees, resting her chin on the upturned palms. Her sapphire eyes focused on him expectantly, urging him to begin his tale.

Yami cleared his throat uncomfortably. "I…am not originally from Riazlora, Tea…and…neither is the Flower of Horahkty. No…the truth is…we are both from Egypt…"

"That's right…" Tea murmured, her eyes wide. "That's…another thing that only Mother and I know…"

He nodded and swallowed. "Yes, well…I also know that…more specifically…the flower is from ANCIENT Egypt…and…so am I." He cringed…waiting for the scornful laugh to reach his ears…but it never came.

Instead, Tea sat forward, eyes aglow with intense curiosity. "Ancient Egypt? Is that the language you were speaking in the tunnel?"

"Yes," Yami replied and blushed. He added sheepishly, "Please forgive my crude language back there…I was a little…stressed."

The brunette however did not seem to care the slightest about that. Her stunned gaze turned to the fire, its light dancing within her sapphire orbs.

"But…if YOU'RE from ancient Egypt…" she began slowly. "How…did you end up here…?"

The youth chuckled humorlessly. "Well…THAT is the true story…" he sat back on the hard bark and stared up at the sky. If he focused on that vast sea of ebony, littered with millions of stars…felt the cool breeze caress his face…he could almost imagine that he was back in Egypt once again. Sighing, he turned his ruby eyes back to the girl. She was studying him, patient…but obviously eager for him to begin his tale.

Yami took a deep breath. "The Flower of Horahkty…was a powerful object desired by people all over the world. It had the power to heal the sick and injured…and to regenerate that which is lost, such as youth."

Tea nodded, eyebrows furrowing in contemplation.

"The flower was discovered in an oasis by the Egyptian royal priests. They took it back to their king…and he ordered that it be placed in its own shrine near the palace for safekeeping." Yami's heart grew dark, his gaze shadowed. "However…the Egyptian gods and goddesses, particularly Horahkty herself, were highly displeased by this action. They had placed the flower in that desert oasis to keep it hidden from mankind and they urged the Pharaoh to return it immediately."

His blood eyes locked with hers. He could see them mirrored in her gaze, burning like flames as they reflected the campfire's light. He sighed. That very same fire burning within him…had cost him a lot in the end.

"Unfortunately…the Pharaoh was young, determined, and a bit prideful," Yami explained somberly. "He was confident that the Flower of Horahkty would be safer under his guard than out in the wilderness. The Egyptian gods warned him that if the flower fell into the wrong hands…the villain who claimed it would be able to regenerate himself for eternity if he so wished…but the king did not listen. Sure enough…the flower was stolen…how and by whom, they never knew…but all that mattered was it was gone.

The gods were furious. They were going to kill the son of the high priest Aknadin, the man who found the flower…but the Pharaoh came forward on his behalf. He argued that HE was king so HE should take the punishment. The gods were surprised and somewhat impressed by his offer…so they tweaked their vengeance a bit. Rather than sentencing his soul to forever wander the Underworld, they killed the Pharaoh's body in that time and resurrected his soul in a new body five thousand years later. He was reborn the same age he was when he died…so he was now a young man in a completely different civilization with no family, no home…nothing. They gave him the knowledge of that new land's language…but that was it. He was doomed to wander as a pathetic urchin and rebuild his life as well as complete some mysterious task of atonement that the gods never truly made clear…"

The youth's sorrowful eyes stayed on Tea's. Her face was similarly wrought with sadness as she murmured, "You…"

He nodded. "Yes….I am….I WAS Pharaoh Atem, the arrogant boy-king of Egypt…" he spoke the last words bitterly. "Fortunately, the high priest's son took my place as a strong and wise ruler…while I was sent here. It has been a miserable life…but it has taught me a thing or two about humbling myself….transitioning from a wealthy king adored by all to a grasping street rat hated by most will do that to you." He gave a soft chuckle.

Yami glanced at Tea to take in her reaction. Her eyes were stunned and distant…but not disbelieving. Kuriboh, expression similarly shocked, nudged her ankle and she looked down at him absently.

"Everything makes sense now…" the girl breathed.

"Hmm?" the former Pharaoh cocked his head in confusion.

"When I first met you…you started to introduce yourself as 'A'…but then you changed it to Yami."

Yami smiled shamefacedly and replied, "Indeed I did. I've managed to keep my identity a secret for quite some time now, choosing the name 'Yami' which means 'darkness' in another language. I was hoping you didn't notice…"

She rolled her eyes. "You weren't exactly SUBTLE…."

The young man laughed aloud, his heart lifting if only for a moment. Tea grinned in response. "And…that's how you knew how to slow dance…am I right?"

"You are…" he said. "Royalty MUST know how to slow dance for special occasions…"

They both laughed…and were silent for several moments afterward. Only the tranquil noises of the night sounded…crickets…crackling fire…the gentle hum of the breeze…yet Yami was far from feeling relaxed. Everything might make sense to Tea now…but there was still one intriguing question nagging at his mind.

"What I don't understand…" the former Pharaoh murmured. "…is how YOU inherited Horahkty's power…" he involuntarily reached out and brushed a stray strand of silky hair away from Tea's face, tucking it behind her ear.

The girl's cheeks flushed a pale pink and Yami's face did likewise. She shrugged and made no pretense at wanting to answer the question. They both shifted in awkward silence for a moment until he finally muttered, "Anyway…don't tell anyone about this will you? It would make me seem a bit odd to say the least…"

Tea smirked teasingly. She reached out and lightly tugged on one of his blonde bangs, making his flush deepen. "Right…" she giggled. "…because you're SO inconspicuous…"

Both youths and Kuriboh laughed…and Yami felt as though an invisible weight had been lifted from his heart. He had never imagined what it would be like to finally tell someone his secret because he had never believed it was possible that anyone could believe him. Yet…here was a girl…whose back story was almost as unbelievable as his….and she believed him. There was a soul-deep comfort in it…the easing of a long-felt, icy pain…

Brushing her bangs away from he eyes, Tea gave the royal a smile that nearly melted his core. Her azure eyes sparkled…and the gentle curve of her full lips made his throat go dry. Heart pounding, Yami stood up and started away from the log.

"I…uh…I had better go gather some more firewood," he explained, cursing the stammer in his voice.

Tea gave him a nod and a slightly confused smile…but as he walked away, her voice reached him again.

"Hey…"

The Pharaoh turned and raised his brows quizzically. Tea had her hands folded in her lap and was rocking slightly with a restlessness similar to that which he felt.

"For the record…" she murmured, her voice soft with gentle sincerity. "…I think I like Yami a lot better than I would have liked Pharaoh Atem…"

Yami's heart did a little summersault…and for once he was completely at a loss for words. His hand went to his formerly injured arm…rubbing over the pristine skin thoughtfully. When at last he spoke…his voice was low, soft…and belied a tender fondness he could no longer deny.

"Well….you would be the first….but thank you, Tea," Yami smiled.

Then…he turned…and walked into the dark forest, his heart pounding like a boy's. This feeling was not only because of her touching remark…but because of her previous failure to answer his question about her inheritance of Horahkty's power. Just how had that happened? Yami did not know…and he was sure he would not be able to fully rest until he found out.

**Hahaha hopefully I didn't confuse anybody XD…Whew, talk about revelations ^_^! I hoped you like and please review!**

**I DO NOT OWN YUGIOH OR TANGLED**


	11. Rude Awakenings and Unlikely Allies

**I DO NOT OWN YURIOH OR TANGLED**

**Hiya ^_^! Chapter eleven is here! This one was really challenging because I had a TON of rewriting and twisting to do. The village scene will come next chapter (the scene with Maximus finding Flynn is much longer and detailed in this version).**

**Axalover11: Thank you ^_^!**

**Aqua girl 007: Thanks :)! Hahaha I always lol at that scene XD.**

**Sunrise Phoenix: Thanks ^_^! I had a lot of fun twisting the flower's history to fit Yugioh :).**

**Coka Cookie Cola: Thanks ^_^! Hahaha, I'm glad it was clear…I kept confusing myself XD. LOL I know, right? Seto needs a good frying pan to the head to sort him out :).**

**Sailorblaze: XD Major one.**

**Infernoinside: Thanks ^_^!**

**The Real Contestshipping Princess: Thank you :)! I really enjoyed writing all the twists/cuteness ^_^.**

**Sorceress of the Nile: Thank you ^_^! I don't like him either….he's EVIIIIIIL XD. Thanks, I wasn't as busy as I thought I was going to be so I was able to update :).**

**Darky2510: Thanks ^_^! YamixTea FTW ^_^!**

**Kender20: Thanks :)! I had a ton of fun twisting the flower story to fit Yugioh ^_^.**

**Vampiressbeauty20: Thanks ^_^! Hahaha let's send the dust bunnies and frying pans after Kaiba XD!**

**MutantEnemy101: Thanks ^_^! Heehee, I think everyone will be surprised by what the task truly is at the end *wink* XD. More Bakura/Drearose fluff this chapter :)!**

**X**

Tea smiled as she watched Yami's black-clad back strolling into the forest. He glanced over his shoulder at her, gave a small grin, and disappeared into the trees. She was finally alone with the campsite…with the dark…with her thoughts. Never in a million years would she have imagined that Yami was connected so deeply to her past…or that he was an ancient king for that matter. It simply boggled the mind.

The girl lowered her eyes to the glow of the campfire and smiled to herself. Never had she imagined…that she would ever FEEL the way she was feeling about the former Pharaoh right now. All of her little sensations…her unexplained blushing and stammering…they made sense now. After so many years of feeling alone in her unique predicament…she had found someone kindred to her own spirit…someone who was tasked with a terrible burden…and who was waiting and praying for his life to begin in spite of it. Unless she was terribly mistaken…Tea could swear that she was developing feelings for him…and, judging by the way he looked at her….perhaps HE felt likewise…

The orange tongues of the fire flickered suddenly with a strong, glacial breeze. A shiver ran through Tea's petite form and she rubbed her hands over her arms. Frowning, the brunette looked around. Untouched by the fire's light…the woods surrounding her were dark…foreboding. The trees and vines were grotesque, twisting silhouettes, casting even queerer shadows onto the earth. A purplish mist settled over everything, seeming to glow beneath the silver moonlight. Tea bit her lip, her hands clutching the azure fabric of her dress. Suddenly, she did not like being here alone…she wished Yami would come back with that firewood…

Then…a sickeningly familiar voice reached her ears…and she felt her blood run cold.

"WELL…I thought that boy would NEVER leave…" cooed a woman from behind.

Not believing what she was hearing, Tea leapt to her feet and turned. There…standing several feet away from her…was a cloaked, buxom figure. Cast in shadow…the woman looked sinister and unrecognizable…but the brunette knew that singsong voice all too well.

"M…MOTHER?"

Chono pushed the hood away from her face. Her ruby lips twisted into a smile…but the glint in her blue eyes was nothing short of cold. Standing in the mist…she looked older than usual. Tea thought she saw streaks of grey in that fiery red hair…and a mild sagging of the skin. She knew that Mother used her hair's power to keep herself robust and able to guard her from outsiders….but she never could have imagined Chono would be wasting away so quickly. Perhaps it was merely a trick of the eerie lighting…

"Hello, dear!" The woman greeted, stepping forward and wrapping her arms around her daughter.

Tea could not help but cringe in the embrace. Rather than the loving caress of a mother who missed her child…the contact felt cold…stiff…constricting. She felt Chono's long, sharp fingernails caressing her hair, running through it almost obsessively.

"But…but…" the girl stammered in bewilderment. "How did you find me?"

The woman's fingernails dug painfully into her scalp. "Oh, it was quite simple…" she murmured, her voice dripping with false sweetness. "I just followed the sound of utter betrayal and found you here."

Guilt sunk the girl's heart. She gave a heavy sigh and squeezed her mother tight before pulling away. "Mother, I…"

"Come, Tea…" Chono interrupted, taking her arm and starting to pull her toward the forest. "We are going home."

"B-but…but Mother, you don't understand!"

Tea dug her bare feet into the earth and yanked her forearm from the woman's vice-like grip. Unconsciously, she rubbed her wrist where the iron fingers had held on far too tightly.

Clasping her hands together, the brunette explained, "I've been on this incredible journey…I've seen and learned so much!" She wrung her fingers and added blushingly, "I…I even met someone…"

Chono rolled her eyes. "Yes, the wanted thief. I'm SO proud. Come on now, Tea…"

She reached for the girl again but Tea backed out of her reach. She retreated back into the clearing where she had danced earlier…where her feelings for Yami had begun to truly burn.

"I just…" she gazed at the fire, remembering the haunting glow of his blood eyes in the darkness. "I…think he LIKES me…"

The woman raised her brows, surprise plain on her harsh features. "Likes you? PLEASE, Tea, that's ridiculous!"

She approached the girl and held her by the shoulders, an amused smirk on her lips. "See, THIS is why you never should have left. My dear, this whole romance that you've invented just PROVES that you're too naïve to be here…"

Shock made Tea's body freeze on the spot. She opened her mouth to say something…but no words would come out. Her mother caressed a long lock of hair and scoffed.

"Do you really think he's impressed? Don't be silly…come back home with me. After all…Mother truly does know bes…."

"NO!" Tea snapped, yanking out of the woman's grip. She stepped backward into the darkness, away from her mother. She was sick and tired of being told that she was too ignorant…too ragged to be a part of the real world. She had finally found someone like her…and she wasn't going to let him go that easily.

Chono's expression was a frozen mask of shock. Her eyes were wide, skin pale, lips slightly open in the stunned silence. Finally…she straightened…and her face became eerily cool and collected.

"No? Oh….all right…I see how it is."

The woman strode purposefully toward her and placed her hands on her hips. Her expression was still cool…but Tea could see something in her eyes…something dangerous and barely controlled.

"You think you know best now…that you're so mature and grown up…" she sneered mockingly and patted the girl's head. The touch was a hair away from being painful. "Fine….if you're so sure…."

Chono turned and sashayed a few feet away. She stopped, turned swiftly…and pulled a brown satchel from beneath her cloak. "Go ahead and give him this then!" she snapped triumphantly.

Tea gasped, her hands flying up to her mouth in a mixture of shock…and horror. It was the satchel…the bag containing Yami's crown…and Mother had found it.

"How did you…?"

"THIS is why he's here!" Chono wrenched the glittering object from the sack and brandished it. "Just give it to him and…" she snapped her fingers. "…THAT'S how fast he'll leave you!"

Tea narrowed her eyes mutinously. "I will!" she snapped back. Her fingers tightened rebelliously around the cool metal of the crown. He would NEVER do that to her…would he…?

"I won't say 'I told you so'!" the woman hissed, tossing the empty satchel at her daughter's feet. "But go ahead…put him to the test if he's really 'the one'!"

She turned and stormed toward a dark thicket of foliage. Startled by the woman's rage and apparent abandonment, Tea reached her hand out. "Mother, wait!"

Chono whipped around sharply and the brunette felt the air knocked from her lungs. Her mother's eyes were narrowed into slits, her face horribly contorted in almost inhuman rage. Her skin was livid white…and any pretense of prettiness was completely lost as the mist swirled around her anger-trembling form.

"If he's lying to you…" she snarled. "Then don't come crying to me! I've told you time and time again…MOTHER knows best!"

With those venomous words…Chono swept her cloak around, as if it were the wing of some great flying beast…and vanished into the dark, twisting trees.

Tea stood there, her shoulders heaving up and down, heart, pounding. She couldn't believe Mother had spoken to her that way…or…that SHE had spoken that way to Mother. It stunned her to her very core…made her fingers tremble with shock. She wondered if Chono had heard Yami's confession about his past…but she doubted it, otherwise the woman would have said something. The girl stood motionless, reflecting in the silence…and jumped when a voice called out to her from the distance.

"Tea, I found some blackberries and edible roots out in the forest…" Yami announced from behind the cover of trees. "It's not much, but it will hold us over until tomorrow…"

Frantically, Tea looked around the dark earth for a hiding place. In spite of her faith in her guide…she didn't want him to have the satchel…not yet. Finally, her eyes landed on a gnarled stump, masked in shadow several feet away from the fallen tree trunk. She stuffed it down into the rough, mossy crevice. The girl then stood up…and kept her back turned to the campfire so that she could get her terrified expression under control.

Footsteps sounded gently on the soft grass behind her. "So, are you…hey, are you all right?"

Swallowing hard, Tea turned to face her companion. Yami was standing several feet away on the other side of the fire, his arms filled with wood and small rations of food. His ruby eyes, reflecting the flames, seemed to glow in the dark and she had to fight not to get lost within them. The girl cleared her throat uncomfortably and Yami's perplexed frown deepened.

"I'm fine…" she lied, averting his hypnotic crimson gaze. "Just…lost in thought, I guess…"

She briefly met Kuriboh's wide eyes and gave an imperceptible shake of her head. The creature looked confused but, as usual, went along with her orders without question. He wouldn't let on about anything…though he had seen her hide the crown.

Forcing a smile onto her pale lips, Tea trotted over to the log and sat back down. "So, berries and roots, huh?" she asked, feigning a cheery conversationalist front she did not truly feel. "You're SURE none of them are poisonous?"

Yami's somber face softened into a laugh and he set the stack of wood down. He threw a few logs onto the fire, sending sparks dancing into the cool air. A few of the glowing embers landed on his pale hand and he winced, drawing back in minor yet biting pain. At this simple occurrence…Tea felt a violent shudder run through her. Fire was indeed beautiful…yet it could burn you if you got to close to it. What if it was the same with him? His fire eyes were so entrancing…would she get close to him…only to have him burn her in the end? She shook her head, brushing away the thought. No…there was something there. She was sure of it.

Yami sat down on the log next to her and displayed his small feast. "I assure you, I've had these before," he smiled. "When you're starving in the woods, ANYTHING looks tempting."

Tea smiled and asked him about his ventures in the woods. He told the tales and she listened interestedly…but could not help glancing at the stump every so often…and thinking about the cursed treasure that lay within it.

X

Unfortunately…what Tea did NOT realize…was that Chono had not simply disappeared into the night. No…the woman was crouching among a twisted thicket of brambles, concealed in the shadows along with the Paradox brothers. The men glared hatefully at their sworn enemy, occasionally emitting soft, irritable growls. Chono could feel their tension…their frustration at having their enemy so irritatingly close…and being forbidden from destroying him.

"Patience, boys…" the woman soothed them, her eyes focused on Yami's handsome face alit by firelight. She simply could not believe that, after all these millennia…the Flower of Horahkty's past had come back to haunt her. It made her black heart burn with a hatred so intense…that her fingers found their way inside her cloak and tightened reflexively on the hilt of her dagger.

Still….things were more or less going according to plan. Chono hadn't let on that she heard Yami's tale about the past so that she would not have to come up with a lie denouncing its truth. She did not want to risk awakening an even stronger sense of rebellion within her daughter…and too many negatives would do just that. She knew that love could infuse people with a strength that would never have otherwise realized they possessed.

The woman's cold eyes wandered from the boy to Tea…and her lips turned upward with a sense of smug satisfaction. She could see the tension in the girl's slim body…the way she kept glancing over at the stump where she had hidden the satchel. Indeed, Chono's words had instilled a sense of guilt within her daughter that would eat away at her….and the crown's lingering presence would ensure that it took big bites. All that was left to do now…was to let her scheme play out.

"All good things to those who wait…" Chono murmured and smiled wickedly in the darkness.

X

Bakura had never been much of a morning person. As he walked along the sunbathed forest path, he found himself brushing at his snowy bangs so that they shielded his eyes from the unrelenting light. The bright, cheery green of the surrounding trees and the light blue of the sky only served to grate on his nerves and he wanted to snarl at every happily singing bird that flew by.

"Ugh…why does nature have to be so…HAPPY in the morning…?" the thief growled, passing a navy-clad arm over his eyes to further protect them. He peeked out from behind the limb to look at his companion.

Drearose was trudging along next to him, her eyes droopy and sleep-filled. She was neatly dressed with her long hair combed and her green dress carefully arranged…but she did NOT look happy. Her mouth was turned downward in a deep frown and she merely grunted at anything he said. It seemed that SHE was not much of a morning person either. He was liking her better and better by the second.

He watched as the girl raised her splinted hand to cover her own jade eyes….and winced as she did so. A pang of worry shot through Bakura and he lowered his arm to study her fully. Her wrist was still a nasty purple color and a bit swollen. The slightest movements made her gasp in pain. He didn't like the looks of this.

"So…your hand is not feeling any better I assume?" he inquired softly.

Drearose shook her head. She bit her lip and looked down, eyebrows furrowing with worry. "This is bad, Bakura…" she whispered hoarsely. "If my wrist doesn't heal soon and properly…then I won't be able to handle a sword for quite some time. Kaiba will simply give my position away rather than wait for me to recover…"

Bakura lightly touched her arm and she looked up at him, eyes dark with fear. "It'll be all right…" he assured her…though he wasn't so sure himself. He was no expert healer…so he could not be absolutely sure that her injury was indeed healing the way it was supposed to…or that it would heal in a timely manner.

Bakura averted his gaze, feeling anger contort his features. Yami had done this to her…in his supposed attempt to avoid seriously wounding her…he had ironically injured her in the most serious place. Or…perhaps he had done it deliberately. He always seemed to know a little more about royals and their business than the average street rat. Either way…the thief would ensure that Drearose got her revenge.

Bakura smiled a little to himself. A day beforehand…he would never have dreamed of pursuing revenge for anyone except himself….of HELPING anyone other than himself. But he found that, for some reason, he liked seeing her smile…and hated seeing her sorrow.

The snowy-haired man quickened his pace, feeling new determination coarse through him. Even if their capturing the fugitive did not keep Drearose employed as a sword-bearing knight, perhaps it would at least secure her some other job within the castle walls….as well as Bakura's freedom. His grin widened wolfishly. He had not sunk so deep into admiration of another…that he had forgotten about himself.

Suddenly, the she-knight's arm shot out to the side, halting the thief in his tracks and knocking the air from his lungs in the process. "Owww…." Bakura complained, rubbing his aching stomach. "Easy there, blondie…that bruise complements of your bloody captain hasn't completely healed yet…"

But the girl ignored him. Her eyes, looking especially green in the fluorescent forest, were narrowed…and fixed on something directly ahead of them. She pointed…and Bakura gasped as he followed her gaze. There was a cluster of trees on the forest path ahead and, beyond them, a small clearing. Through the gaps of the dew dampened trunks, he could make out two dark…and vaguely humanoid shapes.

Earthly onyx eyes locked with eyes of forest green…and both youths nodded. With the quiet and agility of wildcats on the prowl, the thief and the knight carefully made their way forward. They crept through the trees, emerging on the other side and finding themselves in a makeshift campsite.

There was a pile of faintly smoking ash directly in the camp's center, obviously the remains of a fire, with a small stack of wood nearby. The ground on which the fire had been built was dusty but led to areas of soft grass perfect for sleeping…which was precisely how they were currently being used. Yami's female companion was nestled between the thick roots of a large tree, her copious hair wrapped around her like a cocoon. A small, brown, fuzzy creature snored quietly beside her, using her hair like a blanket. These two held little interest for Bakura, however. The person on whom he was focused…was his ex-partner.

Several yards away from the girl and tree…Yami lay on his side in the grass, his body gently rising up and down in the peaceful rhythm of sleep. Barely daring to breathe, the thief sidled over to get a better look at his quarry. Yami had an arm tucked beneath his spiky head as a pillow, a few blonde bangs falling idly in his face. His ruby eyes were closed, black lashes accentuated against his pale skin. He looked so peaceful…and vulnerable.

Bakura grinned in triumph when he remembered the no doubt weakening injuries Yami had received the day before during their mad dash away from the cavalry and probably the flood. They would help greatly in his and Drearose's capture of him he thought…and then frowned upon further inspection. Yami HAD received injuries the previous day…he was sure of it. Bakura had personally seen the gashes on his arm from those cursed thorns…so why was his flesh devoid of blemish now? The thief rubbed his eyes, thinking that his vision was sleep-bleary…but he saw that his former accomplice…looked even healthier than he had BEFORE their little excursion.

Bakura looked up at Drearose, who had crept over to the fugitive's opposite side. She was peering at him, eyebrows raised in a "what's wrong?" expression. The thief shook his head and gave a dismissive wave of the hand…before nudging the sleeping youth's body with his foot.

Yami groaned softly and his blood eyes fluttered open. Groggily, he turned his head to look up at the figure towering over him. He stared, bleary-eyed for a moment, obviously not registering what he was seeing. Then…he blinked…and his eyes went wide with horror.

"Son of Anubis…" Yami swore…and rolled out of the way as Bakura dove down to grab him.

The fugitive leapt to his feet and dashed out of the way as Drearose lunged at him. The girl stumbled, almost falling into the ashes and charred logs of the leftover fire, and growled. She had lost her sword in the flood the previous day…and Bakura had no weapon of any kind. Those blessed soldiers had relieved him of any supplies that could have passed as one…all they had were their bare hands and quick minds.

Yami scrambled to get away from them as Drearose grabbed a long, thin log from the pile of kindling. She turned the log so that it was parallel to the ground and brought up her knee, snapping the tip off. She now had a stick…with a reasonably dangerous point. Bakura grinned. Smart girl she was. Though she wouldn't be able to fight easily with her left hand, she now had a makeshift sword.

Yami's black-clad form was tripping frantically toward the tree where the brunette still slumbered. Apparently they were far enough away and she was deep enough in sleep that she had not heard the commotion. Bakura briefly wondered why Yami did not just run off into the woods…and then it struck him. He wasn't going to leave that girl behind. Therefore…as long as they kept him away from her…they had him right where they wanted him.

Apparently, Drearose had picked up on this detail as well. Nimble as a cat, she dashed ahead of their target, golden hair flying behind her, and crouched down, brandishing the stick out to the side. Yami did not have time to react and consequently tripped over the log, falling to the ground. He scrambled over on his back and crab-walked backward on his hands and heels, eyes wild with urgency.

"TEA! WAKE UP!" he shouted.

Only about a yard away from him now, the long-haired girl sat up with a yelp of surprise, sending the hairball creature tumbling out of her tresses. It rolled for a moment before putting out its stubby green appendages to stop itself, blinking in disorientation. The brunette called Tea looked up, saw the situation…and her azure eyes went wide. She then struggled to untangle herself from her hair.

"Yami!" she shouted, irritably tugging at the lengthy locks. "No! Leave him alone!"

Bakura smirked and ignored her. Yami was directly in their trap now. He was sitting up, still on his back from crab walking…but had stopped moving and was glancing swiftly back and forth. This was because the knight and the thief were rushing at him from either side…and there was no way he could scuttle backward before they fell upon him.

Bakura grinned, licking his lips as he could practically taste victory. They had him…they had won…there was nothing he could do about it now. Drearose would finally earn the respect of her fellow soldiers and Bakura would have his freedom back. He could leave his abominably poor village for good…use the funds he'd procured over the years to start a real life.

All of this was flashing through his brain in the milliseconds he had before reaching Yami….so he did not have the time to figure out why his prey had suddenly curled in on himself. Right as the thief and knight were mere inches away from him…Yami sprang backward in a back flip, moving fast enough that he just barely ventured out of arm's reach.

Indeed, the crafty youth had escaped…but it was too late for his pursuers to change their course of action. Bakura ran smack into Drearose, sending them both tumbling to the grassy ground. They lay there for a moment, motionless and stunned.

When the frozen wheels in Bakura's skull slowly started to turn again, he felt something warm and slightly stirring beneath him. His eyes were closed and something was keeping them that way. He realized with a mounting mortification… that he had brought Drearose down underneath him…and was lying on top of her soft, slender form, his face buried in the crook of her neck.

Face burning, the thief braced his hands on the earth and sprang off of her. He stumbled backward a few paces and stopped, breathing heavily as his heart pounded accordingly. The girl sat up slowly, her face about as red as his. Her green eyes were wide with shock and she gingerly placed her fingers to her neck, swallowing visibly.

Trying to lighten the embarrassment, Bakura chuckled nervously. "Uh….sorry about that, dearie. That's TWICE I've fallen on you since we've met."

Drearose laughed softly and shrugged, rising to her feet. She said nothing else, but the pink flush on her cheeks remained. She cleared her throat and narrowed her eyes at their opponents.

Yami had his back pressed against the wide trunk of the tree, chest heaving, eyes…frightened. Bakura was surprised by this. He had never seen the young man frightened before…but he then realized his fear did not stem from concern for his own safety. He was staring worriedly…at Tea. She stood in front of him, arms spread to either side in a shielding manner. Her azure eyes glared fiercely and it was quite obvious that she was not about to let anyone get to her companion.

Bakura stepped forward and crossed his arms sternly. "Step aside, Miss," he ordered, as if he were a soldier of the royal army.

Drearose added. "You are harboring a fugitive."

The girl did not move, nor did her expression change…but Yami's grew to one of incredulity. He gawked at his former partner and those blood eyes slowly narrowed into a piercing glare.

"The cavalry must have paid you a pretty penny to work on THEIR side…" Yami hissed. "Did they give you the money upfront? I suppose not since you would have seized the chance and abandoned your friend here during the dam collapse."

The thief chuckled…but he found that the words, spoken in the presence of Drearose, actually stung. The knight raised her stick sword, pointedly with her left hand.

"Yami…you are a criminal wanted by Captain Seto Kaiba of the Riazlorean Army. You are to return with us to the castle and be tried for your crimes. It was a petty theft so we may be able to bargain for you to keep your life…but we will ONLY do so if you come with us willingly."

Yami watched her…but not her eyes. Instead, Bakura realized he was staring at her splinted right wrist. Anger flared within him as he saw the young man's eyes soften with what looked like pity. NOW he was going to be remorseful? It was a bit too late for that…

"How is the hand…?" Yami asked quietly. His voice was not at all sarcastic…but Bakura's temper burned regardless.

"How do YOU think?" the thief hissed.

Drearose gave him a stunned look…and so did Yami.

"Why are you so angry?" he asked with suspicion and confusion. He had stopped trying to squeeze into the cracks of the tree trunk…and was now holding Tea's shoulders, trying to move her out of the path of the sharp stick…but she would not budge.

Bakura glared venomously. "You struck her sword-bearing hand with a bloody frying pan. The impact broke her wrist and now it doesn't seem to be healing properly thanks to my lack of medical expertise. She may not be able to return to the army!"

Yami's face grew even more incredulous, at the rogue's incoherency or the basic idea of his words, Bakura did not know. "Why do you care about…"

But Tea cut him off, much to the thief's relief. "Wait…" she turned to the she-knight, face suddenly brightened by some revelation. "You say you have an injury that you need desperately to be healed?"

Drearose, who had been staring at Bakura in utter confusion throughout his diatribe, looked at her. "Yes…" she replied warily. "Why…?"

The brunette lowered her arms and placed her hand on her hips. She then grinned with something like…triumph. "Well then…I'm prepared to offer you a deal."

Drearose kept her weapon raised but arched her brows curiously. "Deal? What are you talking about?"

Tea glanced back at Yami…and he too was smiling, apparently thinking whatever she was. He nodded and she turned back, a slightly cooler expression on her face.

"I'm…a healer of sorts. I can heal your wound and make it so that you will still have a job waiting for you when you go back to the castle."

Drearose gasped softly in surprise but her partner was not so quick to listen.

"And why would we believe YOU?" Bakura retorted, sharply but still calmly.

The girl glanced at her companion again. Yami grinned and pointed to his muscled arm exposed by the black tank top he wore.

"Surely you, the self-proclaimed 'King of Thieves' noticed, Bakura…" Yami explained with a trademark smirk. "My thorn wounds and the injuries I sustained when you tore up the dam yesterday are gone. You know that I have no medical items with me…and you also know that I have not seen a village in two days now. So…how else could my scrapes and bruises be completely healed…unless someone assisted me?"

The white-haired youth opened his mouth to respond…but found that he had no response to give. How HAD he been healed in such a short amount of time…unless his friend had helped him? The thief glanced at Drearose…and saw on her face that she was thinking the same thing as he was.

"Therefore…" the blue-eyed girl continued. "I promise you this. If you will NOT arrest him for twenty-four hours so that he can take me to see the lanterns in the city on my birthday…then I will heal your wrist right now. After those twenty-four hours, you can chase each other all over the world to your hearts' content. Deal?"

Tea stuck out her hand to the blonde…and Yami did likewise to Bakura. The knight and thief duo glanced at each other. Drearose stared into her partner's eyes questioningly, inquiring whether or not they could trust these two. The thief thought about it for a moment…and slowly but surely nodded. He would not have agreed to team up with Yami in their earlier partnership if he did not think he could trust him nearly to the point of gullibility.

The blonde-haired girl held his gaze for a long moment…and finally inclined her head, turning back toward Tea. "Very well," she agreed, shaking the other girl's hand. "We accept your deal."

Both women then turned and stared expectantly at the men. Bakura stared at Yami's outstretched hand, then at the hand's owner, a sneer on his lips. Finally, he sighed…and grudgingly accepted the stiff handshake.

Tea beamed, Yami sighed in relief, and the fuzzy creature bounced up and down, squeaking excitedly.

A few minutes later, Drearose was sitting on a fallen log in front of another small clearing. Her face was, to say the least, perplexed…as Tea had the end of her lengthy hair wrapped around her injured wrist and was standing in the clearing, her arms held in a graceful pose over her head.

Standing next to Yami just behind the log, Bakura gawked at the entire scene.

"What is your girlfriend up to, 'your highness'?" he asked querulously.

Yami flushed slightly at the "girlfriend" remark but still managed to smirk and answer, "You will see."

The thief grunted and turned back to the girls. Just what were they playing at? If this was a trick…he vowed he would hunt Yami down to the ends of the earth if he had to.

Spreading her arms out to the side, Tea closed her eyes…and began to dance. Her movements were graceful, her azure dress flowing along with her as if it had been specially made to do so. As she moved…her long, long hair…began to glow bright gold.

"Rose!" Bakura shouted, startled, and scrambled forward. He leapt over the felled tree and crouched down, ready to yank the cursed hair rope off…but the she-knight held out her free hand to stop him.

"No…" she murmured soothingly, eyes sparkling with wonder. "It's fine…"

The snowy-haired young man gazed into her eyes…and then down at her bound wrist. With waxing awe…he saw that, through the shimmering strands of hair…the purple bruising was slowly fading into pristine ivory, the healthy color of her uninjured skin. The hair…was healing her. The golden magic danced along her skin, cleaning up other small scrapes and bruises as well as the main injury.

Finally, Tea finished her dance…and her hair faded from amber to chocolate. Smiling gently, she strode back to Drearose, unwound the hair from her wrist…and revealed the smooth, healthy skin beneath.

Eyes wide, lips slightly parted…the blonde hesitantly raised her hand. She turned it palm up and palm down, flexed the fingers…and carefully swiveled her wrist. It moved freely…and without any pain.

A joyous grin spread across the girl's face…and Bakura felt his own heart lurch in relief. She would be all right now…he hadn't cost her life's pursuit after all. Though he had tried not to acknowledge it…he could not longer deny that his rage wasn't JUST at Yami…it was at himself. If he had been paying attention during that fight and not "being a narcissist" as his former partner frequently put it…then Yami would not have had to break her wrist in the first place. Now she was healed…and looked more stunningly radiant than ever.

The golden-haired young woman stood, running her fingers over her healthy wrist and smiling. "Thank you…" she murmured, gazing gratefully at her healer. "…thank you!"

Tea smiled back and nodded. "You're welcome," she replied…and her expression grew more serious. "Now…shall we be off?"

Bakura half expected Drearose to gawk in confusion…but to his surprise, she nodded without hesitation. "Of course…" she said firmly, a determined gaze in her eye. "You kept your end of our bargain…now we must keep ours. It is part of a knight's code of honor to keep her word." Though she glanced pointedly at Yami, a clear afterthought of "this is not over yet." Bakura chuckled softly as his former partner in crime squirmed.

With that strange and chaotic start to the day, the four youths set off toward the nearby kingdom as the most unlikely allies.

**More Yami/Tea fluff next chapter, I promise ^_^. I hope you liked and please review!**

**I DO NOT OWN YUGIOH OR TANGLED**


	12. Village Ventures and Folk Dances

**I DO NOT OWN YUGIOH OR TANGLED**

**Heeeeere's chapter twelve XD! I've been looking forward to writing this chapter :).**

**Infernoinside: Thanks :)! **

**Sailorblaze: Hahahah he is a narcissist ^_^.**

**Sunrise Phoenix: Thank you ^_^! I was worried that it would be too much of a reiteration of the deal scene with Yami so I'm glad it turned out well :).**

**The Real Contestshipping Princess: Thank you ^_^! Haha no, she has the crown hidden on her somewhere :). I just couldn't go into that detail because it was being told in Bakura's perspective XD. Hahahaha yup, both relationships are very likely ^_^. Chono needs a frying pan to the head lol.**

**Coka Cookie Cola: Haha ain't that the truth XD.**

**Darky2510: Thank you ^_^! Yup to both! I love Yugioh R and season 0 :). He really does love her ^_^.**

**Aqua girl 007: Thanks ^_^! Hahaha poor 'Kura…**

**Kender20: XD so do I. Yup, love will be in the air soon :)!**

**MutantEnemy101: Thanks ^_^! I think that line was in YGO Abridged somewhere… The lantern scene will be in the next chapter and I am using the song ;). LOL I remembered that they never actually got to eat anything at the Torike Tavern so I had to figure out some way to feed them XD.**

**Vampiressbeauty20: Haha yeah, poor 'Kura…oh well, at least he hasn't had to deal with frying pans and dust bunnies yet XD.**

**Sorceress of the Nile: Thanks ^_^! Hahaha I hate Chono too XD.**

**DarkAngelBattis: Thank you ^_^!**

**X**

This entire venture was madness. What were they thinking, teaming up with a knight and the "venerable" King of Thieves? The former could throw them into the castle dungeon on a whim and the latter would betray them in a heartbeat! Pure…insanity. All these thoughts, buzzing like bothersome flies around Yami's skull…evaporated when he saw the expression on Tea's face.

The caravan of four, or five, counting Kuriboh, had just stepped out of the forest and onto the long stone bridge leading to the village. The midmorning sun shone down on the desolate bridge, warming the hard bricks to a pleasant temperature. Ahead…the village could be seen, all its cheery, simplistic buildings awash with golden light. The spiky-haired youth could make out colorful flowers and festive decorations strewn in the far off street, obviously for the festival honoring the lost princess.

The entire cityscape was plainly familiar to Yami and thus held no particular splendor for him…but Tea drank in every detail as if she had just stepped into a fantasy world. A joyous grin spread across her pretty face and her sapphire eyes sparkled. Giggling, Tea grabbed the she-knight's hand in hers and hurried off down the bridge. Drearose seemed rather taken aback at first…but soon laughed and stumbled to keep up with her companion. It seemed that, after healing her…Drearose had developed a certain fondness for Tea.

The boys moved along at a slower pace several yards behind, watching the long blonde and EXCEEDINGLY long brunette hair of the girls flow behind them as they sprinted. Kuriboh bounced over the warm grey stone only a yard or so ahead of the males, seeming content and satisfied with his mistress's happiness.

Strolling along with his arms crossed casually behind his head, Bakura muttered, "What HAVE you unleashed, my reluctant friend and sometime enemy?" He smirked, adding, "Just look at your girlfriend go…"

Yami, who was sullenly mulling over an infamous "Wanted" flier of himself and the thief that he had just ripped from the bridge's stone wall, flushed a deep cherry. He turned to face his ex-partner, wracking his brain for a scathingly derisive comeback…but stopped when he noticed something.

Running along Bakura's navy long sleeves…were several gashes, probably the result of their mad escape through the thorny woods yesterday. Within the folds of the fabric, he could see traces of dark, dried blood, indicating that the thorns had indeed reached skin.

Out of his own thoughts, Yami said, "You are still injured from yesterday. Why didn't you ask Tea to heal you? I'm sure she would have agreed to it…"

The thief merely grunted and lowered his arms in response. He ran a hand through his shaggy white hair in a fidgety almost embarrassed manner…and Yami suddenly understood.

A grin slashed across the Pharaoh's face and his blood eyes glinted mischievously. "Ah, well…in regards to you last comment…YOU'RE one to talk about 'girlfriends' seeing as you are head over heels for the lady knight!"

Bakura froze and the color of a thousand roses rushed to his face. He turned swiftly, mouth already open to protest…but Yami smirked and cut him off.

"Don't try to deny it. I can see the bandages through the rips in your sleeve…and I see by the lack of tears on the hem of your clothing that the wrappings were not torn from your own garments. So…" his smirk widened into a grin. "That means one of the soldiers healed you…and I doubt you let the males do it."

Bakura was staring straight ahead now, face still deeply flushed. He swallowed visibly and the spiky-haired youth was certain he saw a bead of sweat drip from his palms.

Yami threw his head back and laughed. "So it IS true! Drearose tended to your wounds and you don't want anyone else to pester with them because what SHE did is good enough for you."

The thief was flustered, and not just by the words…but because of who was speaking them. Yami too had to admit that he usually was not one to tease so relentlessly as he was doing now…but he found that it helped take his mind off of his own raging emotions. He was starting to strongly suspect…that he did indeed have feelings for Tea…

Bakura finally recovered, scowled, and punched his companion in the arm. "Oh, shut up!" he snapped and then smirked. "YOU were the one running around like a chicken with its head cut off all over that bloody campsite, desperate not to leave Miss Tea behind!"

Yami rolled his eyes…though the observation was true. He crumpled the "Wanted" poster and unfolded it so that it would stick like fabric rather than float on the air currents. He then threw the wrinkled parchment at the thief and laughed as it stuck to his face. Bakura stumbled in surprise for a moment. He then growled, snatched the paper off, and stuffed it in the pocket of his white pants. Grinning impishly, he lunged at the shorter young man, catching him in a relentless headlock. The duo stumbled and wrestled for a long moment, growling and slinging insults at each other…until a loud, high-pitched growl caught their attention.

Yami looked up, struggling to see through his now messy bangs…and saw Kuriboh stopped on the bridge ahead of them. The creature was glaring both youths down in a clear order to "behave." Yami turned his head to look up at his captor.

"Well? You heard the dust bunny."

Bakura rolled his eyes. He mumbled something under his breath and grudgingly released the Pharaoh. Yami stood upright and calmly smoothed his ruffled black clothing. He then grinned as a thought occurred to him.

"Hey Bakura…did you take a look at that flier to see if the castle artists have mastered drawing your nose yet?"

Bakura blinked. He reached into his pocket and pulled out the crumpled flier, unfolding it to see the image. Yami walked over to get a closer look…and smirked when he saw the thief's saturnine face drawn with a nose that could have belonged to a pig.

"Dammit!" Bakura shouted, ripping the paper in two. He then growled and chased after a wickedly grinning Yami as he hurried to catch up to the girls impatiently waiting by the village gates.

X

It was the most incredible thing Tea had ever seen. After eighteen years of dreaming…of staring idly out a far away window…she never could have imagined the wonder of this place….of the village of Riazlora.

All around stood cheery, quaint buildings built with a light brown brick that looked amber in the midmorning sunlight. In the shuddered windows were small boxes stuffed with flowers of various sizes. Some of the constructions were for living but others were obviously businesses. Their doors jingled cheerily as they opened and closed and a thousand different smells and sounds wafted into the street. Baking bread…sweet pastries…crisp paper…ticking of clocks…chiming of music…the bustling of shop owners and customers haggling for a good deal…it was all so simplistic yet so enthralling to Tea.

The streets themselves were exciting too. They were filled with carriages, elegantly-crafted fountains, stalls selling everything from pottery to jewelry to fresh fruits and vegetables…and people…SO many people. Men, women, elderly, young…they hurried on their merry way through the winding roads and narrow allies, seeming perfectly at peace with their everyday life.

Smiling excitedly, the brunette moved forward…and yelped as her head was suddenly yanked back. She turned, wincing…and saw that her lengthy hair was being trod on left and right by the busy villagers.

"Ow…sorry!" the girl lamented as she turned to grab her hair and consequently slammed into a man. "I…ouch! Excuse me…"

She went on tripping and apologizing, loathing the impractical length more and more as each second passed. Luckily, however…she was not alone in the crowd. Weaving with no-doubt experience-induced agility, Yami darted in and out of the passing people, gathering up hair as he went. By the time he reached Tea, his arms were so full of chocolate locks that she could barely see, his crimson eyes peeking out from among them. Tea bit her lip, embarrassed and amused at the same time.

"I don't think this is going to work…" she murmured, giggling in spite of her humiliation.

Struggling to see out from behind his silky load, Yami assured her, "I'm sure we'll find a way. Don't worry about it."

But Tea did not see how that was possible. She could not simply cut her hair…she knew that better than anyone. So how…?

Suddenly, Drearose appeared at the girl's side. She touched her arm lightly and pointed to something ahead of them. Furrowing her brows in confusion, Tea peered through the throngs of people…and finally sighted that to which the she-knight was gesturing.

Several yards ahead lay a grey stone fountain with a dragon fixture spouting water rather than fire from its mouth. On the side wall of the structure sat three little girls. One had bright blonde hair, another deep red hair, and the third brown hair. The blonde and redheaded girls were hard at work braiding the brunette's hair with the skill of professional stylists. They even had a basket sitting nearby filled with flowers which they used to decorate the plaited locks.

Tea looked at Drearose eyebrows raised in surprised…and they both slowly grinned. The blonde grabbed Tea's hand and dragged her through the crowd, grinning as the brunette laughed. Tea could hear Yami behind her, tripping and mumbling as he was dragged blindly along and Bakura laughing maniacally at his expense. This only made her laugh more. This day, she thought briefly…truly could not get any better. Not only was she running freely through the land she had always wanted to visit…but she was able to enjoy it with two new friends…and a possible love interest.

The blue-eyed beauty's cheeks flushed at this thought, but her contemplation was interrupted as Drearose greeted the row of little girls.

"Hello there," the blonde said, smiling sweetly at them.

Tea looked at her in surprise. She was truly amazed at how kind this young woman was beneath her dangerous, sword-bearing shell. Perhaps she had always been like that…cold at first but gentle and sweet after trust was established…or perhaps something…or someone had brought her out of her shell.

A sudden thought occurred to Tea and she slowly peered around the knight standing next to her…to look at Bakura. He was leaning against a shop wall a few feet away to the left of the fountain. He was humorously well camouflaged, resting next to a pot bursting with small white jasmine flowers that matched his pristine hair and pants, arms crossed casually over his chest. He had his head bent, probably to avoid making eye contact with any of the villagers who might recognize the wanted thief…but she could see his piercing chocolate eyes looking out from underneath his snowy bangs. They were fixed…directly on Drearose. The brunette's lips twisted into a covert grin. It appeared that she wasn't the only one who had found a love interest on this odyssey.

"So, I noticed you girls like to style each other's hair…" the knight was saying.

The redhead nodded and sighed forlornly. "Yes, but…our hair isn't long enough to manage some of the braids we want to try…"

"You have to have hair that goes nearly down to your heels for some of them!" the blonde girl added.

Drearose's smile grew. "Well…I think I have someone right here on whom you could practice!" she gestured to Tea…and then at Yami standing behind her, arms filled with hair.

The trio of youngsters stared for a moment, wide-eyed. Then…they gasped in wonder and began excitedly talking amongst themselves, grabbing at the chocolate locks.

"Haha, okay, okay…" Tea laughed. "Let me sit down and you three can have fun with it."

A few minutes later, Tea was sitting with her legs crossed comfortably to the side on the warm pavement, smiling as the girls happily worked on her hair. Their small fingers were nimble, skilled, and gentle as they braided and twisted the locks, weaving in flowers every so often.

The brunette was thrilled to have someone to get her hair off the ground…but she could not help but be a tiny bit nervous. This was because she had tied the crown satchel tightly around her middle so that it lay taut against her upper back, concealed by the hair around her shoulders. Every time the girls' fingers strayed up there, she winced…and prayed that they would not ask about the bag if they discovered it. She sighed…and decided she would stop worrying about it. She would cross that bridge when or even if she got to it.

While they worked, Tea took another long survey of her surroundings. Yami was talking to a man at a market stall a little ways away from them. She couldn't hear what they were saying…but she could see simple wooden boats and oars stacked up behind the counter. The boats were small, looking as though they could hold three people maximum. She wondered why her guide was talking to the man who sold or possibly rented them…

Shrugging, the girl scanned her eyes in a different direction, searching for her other companions. Drearose was sitting on the edge of the fountain near her, legs crossed in a casual manner. She looked relaxed…but Tea could see her sharp green eyes focused on Yami…and her heart sunk. She kept forgetting that, although they were friends at the moment…Drearose was still an officer of the law, duty-bound to bring the fugitive to justice.

Sighing, she glanced over at the shop wall where Bakura still rested. He was now sitting cross-legged on the ground, absently picking off the beautiful, sweet-smelling jasmine and doing…something to them, she wasn't sure what. She shot a look back at the knight, wondering if the attraction the thief obviously felt toward her…was mutual. She remembered the blonde's beet red face when Bakura had landed on top of her at the campsite…how she truly didn't seem to treat him like a mere criminal on probation…and a grin illuminated her face. Drearose MUST feel the same way…and if she could soften her heart to fall in love with a thief…perhaps there was hope for her helping Yami out as well.

"There! All done!" the crimson-haired girl announced.

Tea got to her feet, glanced backward…and gasped in wonder. Her hair now hung to about her shins…and had been woven into a stunningly elegant braid. Placed throughout the carefully woven locks were light and dark blue flowers that beautifully accentuated her eyes and dress. The girl beamed in relief and gratitude.

"Oh…thank you!"

The three girls giggled in response and skipped away, chattering eagerly as they went.

Drearose smiled and nodded at her before calling out to get the spiky-haired young man's attention. Yami turned, brows furrowed from whatever he was discussing with the man at the market stall…and froze when he saw Tea. His eyes went wide…and his face turned about as red as their ruby irises. Slowly, he made his way over to the girls, nearly tripping over his own feet as he went.

"Wow…" Yami murmured when he reached them, running a hand over his unruly hair to cover up his embarrassment. "You look…great."

Tea giggled, feeling her own face flush. "Thank you…" she said and had to bite her own tongue to keep from saying "So do you." For standing in the sunlight…ruby eyes glittering…unruly hair blowing in the gentle, cool breeze…and a small, kind smile on his lips…he looked hypnotically, darkly handsome.

Eyes still watching her responsibility, Drearose had her head turned away from the shop wall across from them…and did not see Bakura coming up behind her. The thief grinned and leaned his hip against the stone wall of the fountain. He then reached over the girl's head and deftly draped a woven crown of white jasmine flowers atop her golden head.

Startled, Drearose turned to look at him and lightly touched the floral crown. She glanced over her shoulder at her reflection in the cool fountain water…and Tea saw a smile twist her lips. The she-knight looked up at Bakura, still smiling…and the thief's face turned as red as Yami's eyes. He cleared his throat, shuffling awkwardly, and said,

"Well, now that the girls have had their hair done…let us get something to eat, shall we?"

Tea shot a look at Yami and saw that his face held the same knowing grin as hers.

After purchasing some bread and fruit for lunch, the group wandered aimlessly through the village streets, taking in the sights. None were so fascinated as Tea, happily munching on some sort of sweet, frosted pastry that Drearose had bought her as a birthday treat.

As she walked and ate, the brunette began to notice…that the town was especially cheery for a reason. It appeared that they were setting up for a festival of some sort. Stuck into flower pots, pinned above shop entrances, and hanging in neat rows from clothes lines, were tiny purple flags with the Riazlorean sun symbol in their center. There seemed to be hundreds of them and the villagers hung and continued to pass out more. A little boy blushingly handed her one of the small flags and she accepted it gratefully.

Tea squinted as she examined the scrap of fabric. It was soft and a beautiful royal purple color. Obviously…these flags were meant to celebrate something or someone of great importance. Pensively, the girl lowered the flag, turned…and gasped as her eyes met a new incredible sight.

Encrusted into one of the plain city walls…was a beautiful mosaic mural. In stunningly accurate colors, it depicted a family…a father, a powerful yet kind-looking man with black hair that touched his shoulders and azure eyes, a mother, a beautiful, feisty-eyed woman with dark brown hair and blue-grey eyes…and a baby girl. The child, dressed in a light blue nightgown, had large sapphire eyes and chocolate hair that was nearly as long as her small body. Gathered at the slightly elevated foot of the mural were children, placing baskets of flowers and more Riazlorean flags at its base.

Tea squinted at the tiles. There was something so strange…so…familiar about the people they illustrated. Her revelry was cut short when someone bumped into her from behind. She turned, startled…and met Yami's crimson eyes studying her curiously.

"Something wrong?" he asked, in that deep voice that she found made her heart flutter.

The girl shook her head slightly…but turned to gaze upon the mosaic again. "I just…I was wondering who that family is…."

Yami followed her gaze…and his face suddenly grew somber. "That is the royal family," he explained softly. "The king, queen…and the lost princess."

"Lost?" Tea reiterated, surprised.

"You mean to tell me you've never heard about the lost princess?" asked Bakura incredulously, coming to stand beside his rival as he munched on a piece of bread. "By Zorc, you really HAVE been living under a rock…or, if I remember what you told us correctly, in a tower all your life."

"The princess…" Drearose began, elbowing Bakura with a playful smile. "…was taken from the castle not long after she was born. No one knows who stole her or where she went…but every year the king and queen hold this festival in hopes that their child will come back to them."

"Oh…" Tea murmured softly. She felt rather selfish all of a sudden, coming here and enjoying this wondrous festival…when it marked such a sorrowful occasion.

The brunette did not have much time to feel guilty about it however…for Bakura let out a gasp and hissed, "Curses, those bloody soldiers are wandering the streets!"

Tea inhaled sharply but Yami reacted quickly. He grabbed her hand and pulled her into a side doorway of a building, out of sight. Bakura seized Drearose's arm and brought her down behind cluster of large vases overflowing with brightly-colored flowers. Barely daring to breathe, Tea and Yami pressed as far as they could into the darkness…and listened as the metal-clad feet clanked by. It was a wonder they could even hear the soldiers over raucous laughter and talking in the streets…but to the renegades of the law, the bootsteps seemed to echo over every other noise, save for the pounding of their own hearts.

Finally, the knights passed by…and Tea breathed a sigh of utter relief. Her liberation turned quickly to complete humiliation however when she realized that she was pressed up against Yami's muscled chest, his arms wrapped tightly around her slender waist. Beet red, she separated from him quickly and rested her back against the door pane opposite him, heart fluttering as if it were filled with butterflies.

Yami peered at her through the shadowed doorway, his crimson eyes…seemingly searching for something. The girl found that she could not stare into them for long. She instead fixed her gaze on their companions who were peering out cautiously from behind the flower pots.

"Are you all right?" her guide's deep voice inquired, sounding perplexed.

Still not meeting his eyes, Tea stammered, "Y-yes…we…we should go check on Rose and Bakura…"

As she spoke, small talk really to get out of the embarrassing situation…she felt a smooth, slim finger press against her lips. Her breath hitched…and her eyes slowly wandered to look at Yami. He was tracing her lips with his pale touch, crimson eyes piercing, intense…and locked on them. Finally his fingers moved from her mouth and trailed down her cheek…and she had to fight to keep from shivering.

After what seemed like an eternal, heart-stopping moment…Yami pulled back, resuming his ramrod straight posture and formal exterior.

"You uh…" he started with slightly flushed cheeks. "Had some frosting from that pastry on your mouth…"

Swallowing hard, Tea nodded and squeaked out a "thanks" before hurriedly pulling out of the doorway. She was pretty sure she did NOT have even the slightest atom of frosting on her face…but she decided not to voice it out loud. Even if she spoke, she wasn't sure he could hear her over the thudding of her rapidly beating heart.

Looking up from her bare feet on the warm stone streets, Tea smiled when she saw her other companions. Drearose was standing upright, holding Kuriboh in her arms and gently plucking away the flowers tangled into his fur. He had leapt into one of the pots to conceal himself and had consequently been covered from head to toe in sweet-smelling buds. Finally, she untangled the last one and he nuzzled against her cheek gratefully before bouncing over to his mistress.

Bakura got to his feet, mumbling something about "bloody cavalry" as he did so. Drearose stared at him for a moment and laughed. She reached up and gently pulled away a flower that had become lodged in HIS shaggy hair. Bakura turned bright red, but grinned and rolled his eyes as the she-knight giggled.

With the soldiers safely out of sight, the group continued their walk through the festive streets. Eventually, they came upon a sort of town square with a large, open area floored with tiles that wove into the shape of the Riazlorean sun symbol. On the outskirts of the roomy circle, were a group of musicians playing a lively tune on their instruments. Other villagers watched them and clapped along every so often…but no one seemed brave enough to take advantage of the copious space in front of them…no one dared to dance.

Seeing this, a confident grin illuminated Tea's face. She could do nothing if not dance. These villagers, though they had no idea of it, had done so much to make her birthday special and fun…so she wanted to do the same for them.

The brunette rushed out into the square and began to move on her nimble bare feet. She balanced and twirled, letting the energetic music move her. It was so much easier, she found, to dance with her hair braided and away from the ground…and that only made her put more passion into her movements. Sensing the villagers watching her with interest and enthusiasm, Tea grinned and spun over to a group of them. She took the hands of a brown-haired, freckled little boy and drew him, laughing onto the dance floor.

The boy soon got the hang of dancing and retrieved a girl his age from the crowd. Tea, in turn, took the arm of a lanky peasant…and so the chain effect began until the entire square was filled with a smooth line of people performing a cheerful, group folk dance. The jig followed the pattern of the tiles, making it look, from above…like a flaring sun.

Tea soon noticed that her friends were still hanging out on the sideline. She simply couldn't have that. Grinning, the girl made her way to the outskirts of the group and hooked arms with Drearose, dragging the knight into the activity. The blonde seemed a little stunned and stiff at first…but was soon smiling and dancing along with the rest of them. Laughing, Tea gestured for Yami to join in. He smiled and shook his head, obviously remembering his difficulty at the Torike Tavern…but Bakura grinned impishly and shoved him into the square.

Yami stumbled, wide-eyed for several moments. He shot a glare back at the cackling thief before being dragged into the orderly chaos. The brunette winked at Drearose. There was only one more person to snatch now…Bakura. Drearose seemed to realize this, weaving gracefully in and out of the group until she reached its outskirts. The thief's eyes went wide…but he did not have time enough to react. The she-knight grabbed both his hands and pulled him into the circle of music.

Sighing contentedly, Tea turned her face upward, letting the slowly setting sun wash over her face. Never had she felt so happy…so free…so able to be herself. She wasn't sure how…or even IF she could go back to her mundane life in the tower. It made her heart go cold to think about it…so she chose not to think about it at all. She was going to enjoy this moment…though she did not wish to enjoy it alone…

Glancing around, Tea searched the twirling, moving bodies for Yami's black-clad form. She saw countless men, women, children and Bakura and Drearose, laughing as they clumsily strove to perform the intricate movements…but no Yami. She scanned again…and beamed when she finally saw him. He was moving along fairly well with the other dancers…but his eyes…were locked on HER. He wanted to dance with her…just as she wanted to do so with him.

Blushing, the girl twirled once and started to make her way toward him. Yami did the same, moving in and out of dance partners…but right as they were within arm's reached, they were grabbed by peasants and dragged in the opposite direction. Tea sighed and gave him a hopeless smile which he laughingly returned. It seemed they would have to be patient…until the music finally brought them together.

They danced for several minutes more…and the musicians began to speed up their playing, signaling the finale of the piece. Tea's heart pounded and she threw another glance at Yami. She had to get to him…even if it was only for the last portion of the song. With a speed and determination she had never before experienced, the girl twirled and leapt through the air, using every intricate movement she had practiced during those long hours of the tower. The violins and other instruments carried her fluidly through the crowd like a rushing river…and she closed her eyes, simply allowing it to guide her movements.

Finally, the last harmonious notes blasted through the air. Eyes still closed, Tea spun…intertwined her fingers with the strong ones of someone she could not see…and twirled into the arms of her finishing dance partner. She opened her eyes…and found herself lost in a sea of scarlet. Yami smiled, clutching one of her hands in his…his other hand pressed against the elegant contours of her back. He leaned in so that his forehead barely brushed against hers, his blonde bangs tickling her flushed cheeks. Tea closed her eyes, feeling his hot breath against her cheek…his lips…only a hair's breadth away from hers…and jerked when she felt his fingers move slightly up her back.

She squeaked and pulled back slightly. She couldn't have him finding the satchel strapped to her shoulders…not yet. Yami gave her a perplexed look and opened his mouth to say something…but a man's voice cut him off.

"To the boats!"

The girl looked around in confusion as the villagers dispersed and headed in a collective direction. She had absolutely no idea where they were going…but her partner did. Yami smiled and cocked a brow in a look that was almost…flirtatious. He took her hand…and began leading her off in a slightly different direction than the crowd.

"Come on," he said over his shoulder. "…it's time to fulfill your birthday wish."

Minutes later, Tea was sitting in one of the simple wooden boats she had seen at the market stall before, Kuriboh nestled comfortably beside her. The craft was tethered at a small dock in a modest cranny of the harbor, away from the heavily crowded areas where people ran about, frantically searching for vessels to carry them. Looking behind her, the girl saw the castle…glimmering white in the glow of sunset…and the water stretched out like silver glass. It was only a matter of time now…before she laid eyes on that which she had always dreamed of seeing.

Untying the boat's rope from the dock, Yami asked, "Are you sure you don't wish to rent a boat and join us?"

So THAT was what he was talking about with that market salesman…

Bakura, who was standing on the dock beside Drearose, gave her a covert glance. The blonde had her green eyes fixed on the water...and she seemed to shrink back from it. Tea frowned in confusion and the thief placed a gentle hand on the she-knight's shoulder.

"That's all right…" he told the Pharaoh. "…we'll stay on land for right now."

Drearose shot him a grateful look, though he did not see it. The blue-eyed beauty wondered what exactly was going on there…

Shrugging, Yami finished untying the rope and pushed away from the harbor with a pair of oars. Tea shifted so that she could see around his spiky hair and waved to Drearose and Bakura. The duo smilingly waved back…and then disappeared into the woods from which they had come.

Tea turned and arched a curious eyebrow at her cryptic companion. "So…where are we going?"

Muscles flexing as he rowed, Yami looked at her…and smiled. The expression nearly made her heart melt.

"This is the most important day of your life, correct?" he inquired with a sly smile. "I figured…you should at least have a decent seat.

**Haha, sorry to cut it off but I want to make sure I have plenty of space to make the lantern scene awesome :). Hope you liked and please review ^_^! Oh, by the way, if you didn't recognize the three girls who styled Tea's hair, they are Rebecca, Kris, and the little girl with the red hair from Yugioh Capsule monsters that Yami saved from being sacrificed to Blue Eyes.**

**I DO NOT OWN YUGIOH OR TANGLED**


	13. Woods and Water

**I DO NOT OWN YUGIOH, TANGLED, INTO THE WOODS MUSICAL BY STEPHEN SONDHEIM OR BOOK BY JAMES LAPINE, IT TAKES TWO WRITTEN AND COMPOSED BY STEPHEN SONDHEIM PERFORMED BY KERRY O'MALLEY AND STEPHEN DEROSA, OR I SEE THE LIGHT WRITTEN BY GLEN SLATER, COMPOSED BY ALAN MENKEN, SUNG BY MANDY MOORE AND ZACHARY LEVI**

**Alrighty, time for chapter thirteen and the twin romance scenes ^_^! Sorry for the wait, I've been super busy XD. Also I left off the very last part of It Takes Two because it didn't quite fit with the rest of what happens but most of it is in there :).**

**Sailorblaze: Thank you ^_^! **

**Sunrise Phoenix: Thanks ^_^! The lantern scene is finally here :)!**

**DarkAngelBattis: Thanks ^_^! Haha yup, there will be TONS of cuteness in this chapter :).**

**The Real Contestshipping Princess: Thanks ^_^! Haha I couldn't resist putting a few more little YamixTea and BakuraxDrearose moments in there XD. Hahah those two goofy boys….eternal rivalry ^_^. Yeah, at first I was just going to have them be three random girls but I decided to make them Rebecca, Kris, and the Capsule Monsters girl just for the heck of it XD. **

**Aqua girl 007: Thanks ^_^! I love having Yami and Bakura argue XD.**

**SammiTee: Thank you ^_^! Haha, I hope you had a great Easter too :)!**

**Infernoinside: Thanks :)! That scene is going to be VERY different XD.**

**Sorceress of the Nile: Thanks ^_^! Haha that was one of my fave scenes too XD.**

**MutantEnemy101: Thanks ^_^! Haha, yup I sure am XD. Unfortunately, little Yugi is not in this…I couldn't really think of a place for him. He might make a cameo at the very end but I'm not sure :).**

**Kender20: Thanks ^_^! Haha poor Bakura…his pride will be eternally wounded XD.**

**Darky2510: Thanks ^_^! Mwahahah I am evil XD. Bakura is indeed Maximus :). He and Yami are kind of sharing Flynn's role.**

**X**

Bakura had to admit that the woods on the outskirts of the village were quite lovely in the evening. He had never truly been able to appreciate them before, since he was usually fleeing for his life whenever he entered them. Golden bands of light from the setting sun shone through the gaps of the thick foliage, casting a pleasant but tame glow over the dusty path. The canopy of trees over his head was exceptionally green and gave off a fresh, crisp odor. A cool breeze wafted through his white hair, cooling the warmth of the sun and indicating that a body of water was nearby. This particular vein of the forest was right next to the harbor…and was all the more pleasant because of it.

Bakura smiled to himself and folded his arms behind his head in a comfortable manner. He could honestly say that he did not recognize himself anymore. Rather than the growling, irritable, eternally complaining vagabond…he was just like any other content resident of the kingdom…perhaps a little more sly and clever than the average peasant, but still. He felt so different now, daring to do things he had never before allowed himself as an outcast. He wasn't thinking about himself and what was best for him…and he found that he enjoyed that.

_You've changed. You're daring.  
>You're different in the woods.<br>More sure, more sharing.  
>You're getting us through the woods.<em>

_If you could see-_  
><em>You're not the man who started,<em>  
><em>And much more openhearted<em>  
><em>Than I knew you to be.<em>

The thief wondered vaguely if it was simply the beauty of the woods that was causing him to be in such an agreeable mood…but he doubted it. He suspected that his happiness was far more likely to due his traveling partner. His grin widened and he cast a covert glance at the girl walking along beside him.

Drearose looked simply stunning in the woods. Her golden hair shimmered in the amber lighting, the white crown of jasmine she wore looking like an angel's halo. Her green eyes seemed to glow in their woodsy surroundings, glancing over every detail of the path. The girl's rosy lips were curved into a small smile and her jade dress flowed around her elegantly. Bakura liked it so much better when she smiled…when she enjoyed her life rather than feeling like she always had to prove herself. She was fine exactly the way she was…at least HE thought so.

Bakura's chocolate eyes studied her turned face intently, as if he had never seen her before. Drearose truly was a one-of-a-kind individual. She had the gentleness and kindness of a young lady as well as the courage and determination of a strong warrior. She was beautiful, inside and out…and he had to admit that he never would have progressed this far on their journey without her. Bakura had thought…well, all of his life that he could do everything better on his own…but he was wrong. It was far better to be with someone he trusted…someone of whom he was overly fond. The girl had helped him…and…she had changed him.

_It takes two.  
>I thought one was enough. It's not true:<br>It takes two of us  
>You came through when the journey was rough.<em>

_It took you. It took two of us._

I_t takes care._  
><em>It takes patience and fear and despair to change.<em>

_Thought you swear to change, who can tell if you do?_

_It takes two._

The duo came upon a fallen tree blocking the dirt path. Frowning slightly, Drearose lifted up the hem of her dress and started to attempt clambering over the log…but Bakura caught her hand in his. The girl stared at him, eyes wide with surprise…and he smiled.

"Allow me, blondie…" he said and climbed over the log. The thief then turned, placed his hands on her waist, and lifted her onto it. He held her delicate hand in a firm yet gentle grip until she had hopped down safely on the other side.

Drearose studied him with a slight, confused smile. "Thank you…"

Bakura returned her expression, nodded, and continued down the path. As they walked…he could feel her emerald gaze staring at him thoughtfully…and he didn't blame her. He had changed quite a bit…and so had she. Only a day before, the she-knight would have growled at his hand, perhaps batted it away with the hilt of some weapon…but she had accepted it. She had listened to what he had said before…that she should not try to be a girl pretending to be a man…but a young woman fulfilling her role as a true knight.

_You've changed. You're thriving.  
>There's something about the woods.<br>Not just surviving; you're blossoming in the woods._

_At home I'd fear we'd stay the same forever._  
><em>And then out here…<em>

_You're passionate, charming, considerate, clever…_

"So…" Drearose began, snapping him out of his thoughts. "Are we aimlessly wandering anywhere in particular?"

Bakura gave her a sly smile. "Actually…we are."

The girl gave him a quizzical look, but he did not elaborate. He could see the thicket of trees several yards ahead thinning, blowing slightly harder in the wind. Their destination lay just beyond it. Grinning, the thief sidled closer to her and placed his hands over her eyes from behind. Drearose laughed but did not pull back, allowing him to lead her blindly the rest of the way. That was a change too. When Bakura had first met her, she would never have let him out of her sight. Now…not only was she trusting him not to lead her astray…but she was letting him touch her. She had even voluntarily touched him during the folk dance in the village. Out of all those good people…HE was the one with whom the girl wanted to dance.

Bakura felt his face heat and he cleared his throat to fight off the pleasured embarrassment. He could feel Drearose's ebony lashes tickling his palms...the warm softness of her skin…and that only made his nervousness flare. After what seemed like an eternity, the thief slipped out of the trees with the knight and stepped onto cool, slightly soggy earth.

"All right…" the thief breathed into her ear. He felt the girl shiver slightly in his grasp…and that only made his lips twist into a grin. "We have arrived."

He lowered his hand from her face and stepped to the side. Drearose's eyes fluttered open…and she froze. They were standing on a small little beach on the outskirts of the woods. Beyond them, on the far side of the land, stood the majestic castle and the beautifully glowing village. Between the white, sandy beach and the city, however…was an expanse of glasslike water, reflecting the red, orange, and gold hews of the sunset.

"A…a…a beach…?" the blonde stammered nervously. She tried to backtrack, but Bakura caught her shoulders gently, holding her in place. "B-but…I…"

"You wanted to overcome your fear?" Bakura tilted his head to gaze at her face, smiling encouragingly. "I am going to help you."

"I…I can't…" she whispered, hanging her head sadly. "I've tried to cure it by myself before…it didn't work."

"Exactly," he replied and the girl looked at him in confusion. The rogue squeezed her shoulders gently, saying, "You did it BY YOURSELF before…now…there are two of us. Perhaps THAT is what it will take."

Drearose bit her lip. A single lock of golden hair fell into her face. Bakura brushed it behind her ear and let his hand drop. "I know it will be scary for you…" he murmured. "…but I KNOW you can do this. All you have to do is take that first step…and I will be there to help you."

The girl's jade gaze locked with his for a long moment, searching him. Finally…she gave a slow nod…and he grinned. They both removed their shoes and placed them a little ways away from the water's edge. Then, Bakura took both Drearose's hands in his…and began walking backward toward the water.

He back-stepped for several moments before the cool touch of the lake finally reached his feet. Drearose stiffened slightly…but she continued to follow him, keeping her eyes closed, her expression forcibly calm. She was obviously uncomfortable…but she was doing it. She was trusting him…that they could do it together.

_It takes one to begin,_

_But then once you've begun it takes two of you._

_It's no fun, but what needs to be done_  
><em>you can do when there's two of you.<em>

_If I dare,_  
><em>It's because I'm becoming aware of us<em>  
><em>As a pair of us, each accepting a share<em>  
><em>Of what's there.<em>

The water was up to their midriffs now. All Bakura had to do was push back…and they would be floating in shoulder-deep water. He stopped, gazed at her for a moment…and nodded to himself. He had to do it. He had a small window…and he had to take advantage of it before she lost her nerve.

Holding tightly to the girl's hands, the thief launched both of them backward and deeper into the cool evening water. Drearose gasped, her eyes squeezing shut even tighter. She threw her arms around his neck desperately. Bakura chuckled softly and held onto her waist, assuring her that everything was all right.

The blonde's body heaved with barely-contained panic for a few moments and Bakura simply held her tightly against him, reassuring her, hoping that he could lend some of his strength to her. As a thief, giving anything to anyone was out of the question…but he found now that giving her this power over her deepest fear gave him more pleasure than ever.

After several minutes, Drearose's shuddering form grew very still…and she slowly opened her eyes. She blinked, looking confused…glanced down at the water….looked back up at her companion….and a joyous smile danced across her features. She backed out of his arms, surprising him, and ducked beneath the glassy surface.

Bakura panicked, thinking she had lost control of her fear and was trying desperately to get back to shore. He swooped down under the water, blindly wrapped his arms around her torso, and pulled her back to the surface. His head broke the water and he gasped, loosing one of his hands from the girl's waist to wipe the wet, snowy bangs out of his eyes. He froze when he heard something. Drearose…was not frantic…but laughing.

The girl brushed her wet, golden hair out of her face and splashed the liquid over her head like rain. They were both completely soaked from head to toe…but she did not seem to care. If anything…she looked happy about it. The she-knight must have seen the completely bewildered look on her companion's face because she laughed heartily and exclaimed,

"It worked! It really worked" she scooped some water into her hand and let it dribble through her fingers. "The water…I'm not scared of it. It's…it's beautiful! I…I never imagined it could be…"

She beamed again…and Bakura saw happy tears mixed in with the water. He smiled back, deeply pleased with her reaction. Part of him was shocked that it had actually worked…but most of him had known it would all along. The strength to get past her fear had been within her all along…it just took two people in order to awaken it.

"I'm glad for you…" the thief said softly and sincerely.

Drearose gave him a tender smile…but tender quickly turned mischievous. "You won't be when I beat you in a race!" she giggled and splashed him playfully before swimming off toward the setting sun.

Bakura stood still for a moment, shocked. Then…he smirked, gave an impish cackle, and dove off after her.

The duo swam and splashed and laughed for nearly half an hour before dragging their weary bodies out of the water and back onto the shore. There they sat, tired, wet, and happy, staring out over the water. The sun had almost completely set now, with only a few rays of red and gold streaking an otherwise dark blue sky. Nightfall would arrive soon…as would the lantern release in the village.

Sitting with his legs stretched out casually on the sand, elbows propping him up, Bakura smiled and pointed out at the water. "Look…"

Drearose, sitting cross-legged beside him, followed his gaze…and spotted a single boat out in the middle of the lake. In the boat were two figures…one of which had a head full of spiky hair.

"Tea and Yami…" the blonde murmured.

He nodded and smirked. "Will the wonders of today never cease…?"

Drearose nodded absently and was silent for several moments. Bakura turned and studied her. Her moist, ivory skin sparkled in the dim lighting, further enhanced by the duskiness of her soaked green dress. Her wet hair hung slightly in her eyes. He couldn't make out her expression…but it was pretty obvious she was thinking intently about something…

"Bakura…" she finally said, looking up at him. Those deep green eyes were filled with gratitude…and tenderness he had not seen before in her, even when he saved her life during the flood. "…thank you."

The thief smirked gently and shook his head. "I didn't do anything…"

"But you did," the girl shifted so that her legs were tucked to one side, gazing at him intently. "You helped me do something that I would never have been able to do on my own. You inspired me with so much confidence in myself that…I actually feel like I belong in the army. You changed me, Bakura…and that's something that no one, let alone myself…has ever been able to do…."

The fair-haired rogue stared at her, frozen, for what felt like an eternity. He…being a scandalous thief…had never received praise like this ever before. Even if he had…he doubted it would have affected him much…yet this meant more to him than he ever could have imagined. It made him feel as though he was more on this earth than a filthy street rat…and coming from her….it gave him hope that her feelings for him…ran as deeply as his did for her.

A singly lock of wet, golden hair fell into Drearose's face. Slowly…Bakura reached out…tucked it behind her ear…and let his hand trail down her face so that it cupped her cheek. They were so close now…their breath colliding…their hearts beating rapidly…their faces only inches apart.

_We've changed. We're strangers.  
>I'm meeting you in the woods.<br>Who minds? What dangers?  
>I know we'll get past the woods.<br>And once we're past, let's hope the changes last_

"Well…how could I do anything less…when you did the same for me…?" Bakura whispered…and captured her lips in his.

Drearose tensed at first, surprised…but she soon relaxed and wound her arms around his neck, returning the kiss. Bakura tangled one hand into her wet locks, using the other to gently push her down onto the sand. He wrapped his arms around her as the passion between them grew…and finally they broke away, gasping for air. Panting, the thief leaned his forehead against hers and gave a soft, raspy chuckle.

"Heh…it's like a scene from Beauty and the Beast…" he muttered, getting up off of her slightly so that he could gaze down at her pretty face.

The she-knight stared right back at him, eyes half lidded, rosy lips…smiling tenderly. "You're not a Beast…" she said softly and placed her hand over his heart…the heart that was now filled with her light…the heart…that until now…Bakura had thought would always be consumed by darkness.

X

It seemed that night had finally fallen over the radiant Riazlorean horizon. The sky was no longer painted with shades of gold and red, but shrouded with a mysterious, blue-black dusk. The pristine castle stood against the dark sky like lightening in a thunderstorm, its windows little pinpricks of light in the distance…and Yami knew it was only a matter or time before thousands of lanterns were released from its courtyard.

This thought, among many others, made him smile as he sat in the small boat he'd rented, sitting idly on the lake. Water stretched out for miles, looking like ebony glass in its still state. Leaning over on the small wooden seat, Yami reached his arm down and lightly touched the smooth surface. Ripples danced across the water, starting small and growing larger and larger as they sped away.

A small smile turned up the corner of his lips. The graceful movement…starting out small and simplistic but growing large and intricate…reminded him so much of this amazing journey. He had started out pursuing a petty theft in order to survive…and now…he was sitting here…overlooking a stunningly beautiful landscape…with an amazing individual at his side.

Yami turned to gaze upon Tea, relaxing against the side of the small vessel only two or three feet away from him…and frowned. As usual, the girl looked breathtakingly beautiful…her chocolate hair elegantly braided and dotted with blue flowers…her smooth skin glistening in the darkness…her thickly-lashed sapphire eyes drinking in every detail of the world around her…but her expression troubled him. It was forlorn and shadowed, her peach-like lips turned downward in a frown that depicted utter worry. She gave a quiet sigh. Her fingers stressfully clutched the hem of her azure dress…and he could no longer take watching her silent anxiety.

"Are you all right?" the Pharaoh asked gently. He tilted his head so that he could better see her downcast face.

Tea sighed again and hung her head. "I'm….terrified…."

This made Yami's ebony brows furrow, not in anger, as most people mistook this seemingly saturnine expression, but in deep, intent concentration. "Why?"

The brunette moved her hands from her lap and leaned them on the side of the boat, just as he was doing. She turned her oceanic eyes to the sky and gazed at it wistfully for a long moment.

"I've been looking out a window for eighteen years…" she explained quietly. "…just dreaming of what it would feel like when those lights appear in the sky…dreaming of how it would feel when my life truly began…" Her voice grew small, scared. "What if…it's not everything I dreamed it would be?"

Yami gazed serenely into her face. In a way…he knew how she felt. He had had so many dreams for his kingdom back in Egypt when he constructed the shrine for the Flower of Horahkty…and his dreams had instead contorted into his worst nightmare. However…HIS fantasies had been born out of his own pride. They had turned dark because of that…but this girl was different. She did not dream because she THOUGHT she knew about the world…she dreamed because she was aware of her own naivety and WANTED to learn about it. There was no arrogance in her dreams…so he had no doubt she could achieve them.

"It will be…" Yami murmured with unwavering sincerity.

Tea gave a troubled chuckle and closed her eyes. "And what if it IS?" she inquired, opening her eyes and turning to look at him. Her gaze held no malice or self-pity…just apprehension of the unknown. "What do I do then?"

The Pharaoh held her gaze for several minutes…and smiled gently. He glanced up at the vast sea of dark sky. "Well…that is the good thing I suppose…" he said. "Once your life begins…then you get to find a new dream."

He turned his ruby eyes toward hers. Tea was studying him thoughtfully, lips partially open in contemplation. Finally, she smiled…and his heart thudded in his chest. He turned his eyes downward, fearing becoming lost in the abyss of azure…and gasped when he remembered the small sack he had brought with him from the village.

"Oh, I almost forgot…" the youth reached into the folds of the cloth sack at his feet and removed a handful of brightly-colored flower buds. "For the lost princess…" he explained, opening his palms so that the flowers lay flat on them.

Tea smiled and nodded. She reached out, gently took one of the delicate plants, and held it up, twirling it round and round between her fingers.

"For the lost princess…" she reiterated softly and placed the bud on the glassy surface of the water.

The elegant pink flower floated gently like a tiny boat, creating miniscule ripples on the water. Tea sighed contentedly and reached for more flowers…while Yami watched her with the utmost enjoyment. He found that…he was content to sit back and watch her every movement…and even more so to be a part of whatever she was doing. Every time her soft fingers brushed the palm of his hand to get another flower, an electrifying jolt of exhilaration ran through him. The thought of saying goodbye to her forever when all this was over made his heart go cold…so he decided not to think about it at all. He would enjoy every bit of this moment…of this magical night.

Suddenly, a glimmer of light began to rise from the castle in front of them. Yami peered at it perplexedly…and then, realizing what it was, grinned and pointed. The brunette followed his gaze…and her eyes went wide with excitement. She leapt to her feet, scrambling to the elevated bow of the boat and nearly toppling the entire vessel in the process.

The Pharaoh winced and grabbed onto the sides of the boat while Kuriboh squeaked in alarm…but they both fell silent in order to take in the girl's reaction.

X

Earlier that day…Tea had thought the Riazlorean village and its people were the most incredible thing she had ever seen…but she knew now that NOTHING could compare to this.

Slowly but surely, the golden cylindrical lanterns imprinted with the well-known sun symbol rose from the snowy walls of the castle, climbing ever-higher into the ebony sky. They started out few and far-between…but soon began to appear in great clusters from the village and great ships in the harbor as well as the castle. The glowing objects soared high into the air, looking as though they were going to join the rest of the stars in the heavens. Tea thought they well should…for they were just as beautiful.

The girl sighed in pure happiness, leaning her cheek against the curved bow of the boat. Along with her bliss, she felt so stupid. After all that time in the tower…after her speech a few moments before about thinking this would never be as incredible as she envisioned…she realized that her imagination hadn't come remotely close to doing the sight justice. She realized…how clueless she had truly been. But now she had the chance to make up for all that time being lost in her own befuddled mind. The guilt she had previously felt for disobeying Mother had vanished into the cool night air.

Tea looked around her, her smile growing as the lanterns increased in number. They were everywhere now, fluttering like fairies on the breeze. Their amber light filled the air and danced over the black glass of the lake, illuminating the night…yet not blocking out the sea of stars above. She breathed in deeply, closing her eyes. For once…everything in her life…felt right.

_All those days watching from the windows  
>All those years outside looking in<br>All that time never even knowing  
>Just how blind I've been<br>Now I'm here, blinking in the starlight  
>Now I'm here, suddenly I see<br>Standing here, it's all so clear  
>I'm where I am meant to be<em>

_And at last I see the light  
>And it's like the fog has lifted<br>And at last I see the light  
>And it's like the sky is new<br>And it's warm and real and bright  
>And the world has somehow shifted<br>All at once everything looks different  
>Now that I see you<em>

The girl's grip tightened on the mast and she felt tears of happiness welling beneath her eyelids. Everything was so right now…she felt as though a blinding shroud had been swept away from her eyes…and she could see everything here in the night…as if it were illuminated by the light of day. Her azure eyes fluttered open…and widened. This feeling, she knew…wasn't just because of the beautiful lanterns surrounding her…it was because of who was there with her. Heart pounding, Tea lowered herself from her perch…and slowly turned to look at her companion.

Yami was still sitting in his earlier seat…but he looked so different here in the light. His pale skin was awash with the amber glow, his body perfectly relaxed and happy. His red, blonde, and black hair blew gently in the breeze, looking like a sleek crown atop his head. Those thickly-lashed, piercing eyes held a calm and deep wisdom…and their irises…those supernatural red irises…seemed almost to glow as they reflected the golden lanterns. His lips were curled into a small, cordial smile…though she could still see the aware agility and strength in his muscled, slim body.

Resting atop his outstretched hands, were two lanterns that the young man had apparently snatched from the air when she had her back turned. They reminded her rather of a powerful scepter. A wave of awe swept through the girl as she realized that, here in the light…he did not look like a street-scrounging vagabond…but like a wise and powerful king.

Yami tilted his head to one side and gave his trademark smirk, juggling the lanterns to get her attention. Tea jerked out of her trance and blushed slightly. She sat down on the wooden bench only feet away from him…and carefully reached beneath her hair to unwind the satchel from her back. She had been far too terrified to give it to him before, haunted by her mother's words…but now she felt rather silly for having ever doubted him.

"I have a present for you too…" Tea smiled and held up the satchel.

The Pharaoh's blood eyes focused on it for a moment, clearly surprised. He looked back up at her in confusion.

"I should have given it to you before…" the girl explained ruefully. "…I was just scared. But now…I'm not scared anymore…ya know?"

She tensed then, worried about his reaction. Would he be angry at her for having the satchel in her possession and not giving it to him? Would he take it…and row her back to shore as fast as possible so that he could finally get away? The thoughts made her heart pound even faster than it was already doing.

But…as it turned out…none of those things happened. Instead…Yami set down the lanterns, reaching out to her. He took the object from her hands…and laid it aside. He smiled at her, those incredible eyes shimmering,

"I'm starting too…" He murmured.

Tea's heart lit up as did her expression. The Pharaoh grinned back and held out the lanterns again. Giggling softly, the girl reached out, placed her hand beneath the paper bottom of one of them…and gave a gentle push. Yami nodded and did the same to his. Both lanterns traveled upward, spiraling around each other almost as though they did not wish to leave each other's company…just like the people who had released them.

X

Everything…all the trials, difficulties, and hardships…were nothing compared to this moment. Yami new that as soon as he saw the unbridled joy in Tea's face. She had been waiting her entire life for this experience…and he was proud that he had helped to give it to her.

The girl was leaning over the side of the boat now, gazing happily up at the sea of lights encompassing them. As he watched her…the Pharaoh could not help but shake his head in wonder. He had known all along that he wasn't living a real life…but he had been counting on the crown to change that. Now…it was all so ridiculously obvious. Even if he had obtained the treasure and gone on his way without meeting Tea…he still would not have really had a life. He would have been living for himself…when all along his happiness lay in living for someone else. He knew that now, watching Tea's sapphire eyes sparkle…and feeling more joy than ever before.

_All those days chasing down a daydream  
>All those years living in a blur<br>All that time never truly seeing  
>Things, the way they were<br>_

_Now she's here shining in the starlight  
>Now she's here, suddenly I know<br>If she's here it's crystal clear  
>I'm where I'm meant to go<em>

She was here…she was his dream…the beginning of his life…and he was done waiting. With a confidence he truly felt…Yami reached out…and took her hand in his. Tea jumped in surprise…but did not pull away. She turned away from the seascape and stared at him, wide-eyed. After a moment, however…she smiled…and took his other hand in hers, squeezing both of them tightly. It wasn't just a fantasy in his mind…she saw it too.

_And at last I see the light  
>And it's like the fog has lifted<br>And at last I see the light  
>And it's like the sky is new<br>And it's warm and real and bright  
>And the world has somehow shifted<br>All at once everything looks different  
>Now that I see you<em>

A cool breeze blew across the water, loosing a single strand of chocolate hair from her braid. Yami brushed it aside…and let his hand trail down her warm, soft cheek. He slid his fingers to the back of her velvety neck. His blood eyes traveled from hers to her full, soft lips…and his heart pounded. Tea blinked rapidly from a moment…and finally closed her eyes. Kuriboh squeaked in embarrassment behind them and hid his furry face…but neither of them looked back.

It was obvious. The girl wanted him to kiss her…so the Pharaoh pulled her closer, intending to do exactly that.

**Cliffie XD! Sorry, I'm evil for ending it there but that's where the scene ends in the dvd. Will they kiss? Or will something unfortunate happen…to interrupt them OO? I hope you liked and please review ^_^!**

**I DO NOT OWN YUGIOH, TANGLED, I SEE THE LIGHT, INTO THE WOODS, IT TAKES TWO, OR BEAUTY AND THE BEAST**


	14. Deception and Confusion

**I DO NOT OWN YUGIOH OR TANGLED**

**Chapter fourteen is here! So sorry for the wait I've been reallllllllly busy XD. I know I say this every time but it makes me feel better to give the announcement lol…the next two-three weeks are going to be super crazy for me so updates me be a little slower :). There should be one or two more chapters after this one.**

**Sailorblaze: Haha yup ^_^! It worked really well with what I had planned for Drearose and Bakura :).**

**Sunrise Phoenix: Thank you ^_^! The last chapter was sooooo much fun to write :). Yup, time for the ultimatum! Duhn duhn duhhhhn XD!**

**The Real Contestshipping Princess: Thanks so much ^_^! I figured I would have at least one of the couples kiss so as not to torture everybody XD.**

**Aqua girl 007: Thanks ^_^! I agree, it is a beautiful song :). Haha Bakura's line at that part is actually courtesy of a video game character whose game I hope to get soon XD.**

**Coka Cookie Cola: Haha unfortunately things are about to get bumpy XD.**

**Dany14-black8: Hahah they will at some point ^_^.**

**Darky2510: Thank you ^_^! I have Sailorblaze to thank for the It Takes Two song because I've actually never seen the musical it's from XD. Mwahahah I'm very evil lol :).**

**Kender20: Thanks ^_^! Yup, you're right about that. Things are about to get VERY hairy XD.**

**MutantEnemy101: Haha EVIL XD. Unfortunately, things won't make sense if I do have them kiss lol ^_^. That scene was a ton of fun to write :).**

**DarkAngelBattis: I feel so guilty XD…sadly they must be interrupted or the plot later won't make sense lol :).**

**Sorceress of the Nile: Thank you ^_^! I'm kind of sad too…I'm having a ton of fun writing it, thanks for suggesting it to me :).**

**X**

Tea's heart pounded like a jackhammer inside her chest. It was dark behind the shade of her closed eyelids…yet she had never felt so happy and filled with light. She could feel Yami's slender fingers caressing her neck…his warm breath tickling her face…his lips only centimeters away from hers…He was going to kiss her…and this magical night would finally be complete.

After eighteen years of longing to see the lights in the city…the girl could not believe she was sitting here among them with her eyes…closed….but they seemed astronomically miniscule in her mind now. No…Tea had fulfilled that dream…and now she had a new one…one that was mere seconds away from being realized.

She waited, heart thudding, for several, agonizingly long moments…and nothing happened. The girl felt the coldness of the breeze, heard the water lapping against the sides of the boat…but she suddenly could not hear Yami breathing nor feel his heat reaching toward her. Wondering if he had missed in their potential kiss, Tea squinted one eye open…and abruptly blinked both of them at what she saw.

Yami seemingly had not missed…neither was leaning in anymore. Instead…his crimson eyes stared just past her head, looking distant…and shadowed. His face was sickly pale and set in a hard, grim line. He looked…haunted.

Tea frowned and glanced backward. There were no lanterns in that direction, the majority of them having disappeared into the vast sky. The only things she saw on the rocky shore several yards away were boulders, shadows, and a thick cluster of gnarled trees leading into the dark forest. It was an eerie sight…but not something to warrant such an aghast reaction.

"Is…something wrong?" Tea inquired, turning back to him.

The Pharaoh looked at her vacantly. His mind was obviously millions of miles away. He almost seemed not to recognize her. Then, he blinked, shook his head, and smiled…but there was something off about that smile. It seemed…forced…distant as his countenance had been.

"I…I am fine," Yami replied hoarsely, sliding his hand down her neck to reassuringly squeeze her shoulder. "Everything is fine, Tea."

The brunette gave him a smile that was stained with worry but he did not elaborate. Kuriboh toddled along the sloping bottom of the boat and rubbed against his ankles…but he merely patted the creature on his fuzzy head, still not saying a word.

Then, Yami grasped both oars in his strong hands and started to row toward the bleak shoreline. Tea watched him the entire time, her frown deepening with each passing second. He had compelled his expression to remain calm and cool…but she could see the stress in his body. His biceps were as rigid as wire as he flexed them with each labored thrust of the oars. He clutched the wooden poles so tightly that she wondered if they might snap in two. Something was wrong…but he wasn't saying anything. Did he not trust her the way she trusted him…?

Finally, the little craft skidded onto a grey, rocky shore bathed in darkness. The Pharaoh swung his legs over the side of the boat and got out, pulling it by the mast so that it would not drift away. He let go…and went around the side of the boat to gaze at his passenger.

Tea sat motionless, her hands clasped in her lap…and clutching so tightly that she nearly drew blood from her palms. Her heart was sinking faster and faster into the darkness…and this shadowed beach did not help. What was wrong with him? Had he seen some danger he didn't want to tell her about? Or…was it something else entirely?

The girl tilted her head to one side, her azure eyes asking all the questions for her. Yami stared at her for a moment…and sighed. He glanced off to the side, jaw clenching as he did so. Then, he looked back at her.

"I am sorry, Tea…" he murmured softly, blood eyes growing sad. "I just…there is something that I need to deal with."

He reached into the floor of the boat…and grasped the leather handle of the satchel. He removed the object…and slowly…waveringly…met her eyes again. Tea's heart was pounding now. Mother's lecture rang in her ears.

"_This is why he's here! Just give to him…he'll leave you."_

The girl swallowed hard against her dry throat. No…she wouldn't believe that. Yami would never do that to her. He liked her…she was positive…right..?

"Okay," Tea said, desperate to drown out the skeptical voices in her own head. She gave him a small smile…but small revealed so much. She was trusting him not only with her life out in this unknown place…but with her heart as well.

"I'm so sorry…" the Pharaoh lamented again. He was clutching the satchel tightly to his chest…over his heart. She hoped desperately that it was she who possessed his heart…and not that cursed crown.

"I will be right back," Yami gave her a wary smile.

She said nothing, but nodded. He watched her for a moment, mouth open, as if he wished to say something else. Finally, he closed his mouth, turned…and strode off into the shadows. Tea watched his retreating back until he disappeared behind a rather large boulder…and she was alone with her pet.

Kuriboh squeaked and pressed nervously against her legs. She looked down and saw him gazing up at her. His eyes were wide with worry.

"Don't worry, Kuriboh…" the girl patted his head soothingly. "He'll be back soon…he just has to…'deal with something'…"

Those were her words…but she could not deny the abyss of cold doubt slowly consuming her heart.

X

This shore was quite different than those existing in ancient Egypt. There…in the land of desert and magic…the sand was golden, hot in the sunlight and making the cool water of the Nile seem even more enticing. Here…it was quite different. The sand was dark and sharp with tiny fragments of jagged rock. Boulders stood in great clusters, blocking off easy escape…and hiding who knew what or whom from view. The twisted trees stood like bleak guardians of the woods, eerily silhouetted in the night. The entire place was grotesque…as dark as the Pharaoh's mood.

Anger flared within Yami's chest as he walked slowly across the dusky earth, his black boots crunching on the rough sand. His narrowed blood eyes flicked back and forth, searching…for what he had seen on this dismal shore from the boat. Right as he was about to kiss the girl of his dreams…his eyes had flickered toward the beach. His heart had immediately gone cold with horror when he beheld the hideous green glow of a lantern on the shore…and the twin, bald figures illuminated by it. Para and Dox…they had found him.

The young man's livid-white fingers curled around the edge of the satchel. He was clutching it tautly against his chest…but not because he wanted it. Yami desired nothing more than to hurl the infernal thing into the blackest depths of the lake…but he couldn't do that. If he was going to be cursed by his foolish mistake of stealing the crown in the first place…then he was at least going to use it as a bargaining chip out of his problems. He hadn't told Tea about it for fear that she would insist on accompanying him. This was something he had to do alone.

A sudden sound broke through the tangible silence…and Yami froze. It was a grinding…scraping…ominous sound that echoed through the misty air. Cautiously, he continued forward, squinting to see through the fog. After a few more steps…a figure came into view. It was a man…he could see that much…and the odd noise was coming from him.

When Yami finally ventured close enough to view the stranger…he saw that, as he suspected, it was not a stranger at all. Leaning against the rotting post of a small dock at the water's edge…was Dox. He clutched a knife in his hand…and was using it to sharpen a piece of wood. That had been the source of the scraping sound.

Hearing the thud of footsteps, Dox slowly turned to glower sideways at his enemy. Yami glared right back…but took a brief scan of the area while he could. This spot was especially dark and foggy, the moonlight reflecting off the mist and making it seem even thicker. The gap in the boulders from which he had come was narrow…and it was the only route of escape if the need arose. Tethered to the dilapidated dock was a small sail boat that creaked and gently bounced on the water. It was crude…but simple enough to be manned by one person and light enough to move quickly over the water.

Yami wondered if that was how they had followed him but did not voice the inquiry aloud. Instead…he glared venomously at the twin…and waited. Dox studied him out of the corner of his narrow eyes and gave a low, gravelly chuckle.

"You don't look happy to see me…" he grinned unpleasantly, stopping his wood sharpening just long enough for the sneer. "…and after all we've been through…"

He resumed his idle knife scraping and the Pharaoh's back stiffened. He had no weapon with which he could defend himself…so he decided it was best to cut straight to the chase before his enemy cut him.

"Look…" Yami began in a low, grim tone. "Bakura and I were wrong to leave the two of you behind. For that, I apologize. However…" he unwound the satchel strap from his wrist and tossed it at the man's feet. The crown slid partially out of its folds and lay, glistening in the dim lighting. "…the treasure is yours. Now I shall be on my way and we never have to see each other again."

Dox smirked and turned to fully face the young man. His knife glinted wickedly in the moonlight, stripping away splinters of wood as if the stick were made of butter. Yami cringed to think what it would do to human flesh. He kept his crimson gaze locked on the blade as Dox spoke.

"Sorry, kid…" he muttered darkly. "That's our OLD deal. You see…my brother and I heard that you found something better…something far more valuable than a measly crown." He kicked the object aside to underline the point. Eyes glinting darkly, the green-clad man made his way toward Yami…carrying the knife and hunk of wood with him as he walked.

The Pharaoh took a step backward. "What are you talking about? I-I don't have anything more valuable than the crown…" he mentally cursed the stammer in his voice.

"Oh?" Dox counted with an oily grin, lifting the dagger and picking idly at his teeth with it.

Yami stared at the cruelly glinting knife. He wanted to keep his eyes on it if his enemy decided to strike. As a former Pharaoh in Egypt, he was not ignorant of the ways of the blade and could skillfully dodge attacks as long as he paid attention. He took one more step backward…and gasped as two iron-hard hands clamped onto his upper arms, holding him immobile.

Mind reeling, the Pharaoh craned his neck around to see his captor…and his heart sunk. He should have expected this…his sharp mind should have noticed that only one twin was in plain sight…but he had been too angry to think with his usual uncanny perception. It was Para who held him captive now, his face split with a grin as iniquitous as his brother's.

Emitting a low chuckle, Dox stopped a foot away from Yami. He carelessly tossed the knife aside and flipped the board of wood around so that its flat end was facing up. The young man realized with ever-darkening dread that the knife had been a mere distraction…so that Para could sneak up and seize him.

As if he had heard all these thoughts, Dox said, "I'm disappointed, Yami. I figured your clever intuition would have sorted out this trap BEFORE you fell right into it."

"You give him too much credit, brother," Para snickered, his grip tightening painfully on his captive's arms. "Our treasure…our NEW treasure has made him far too weak!"

Both siblings erupted into derisive laughter…and Yami's eyebrows narrowed in perplexity. What were they talking about? He wasn't made weak by the crown…he couldn't have cared LESS about that farcical object. But wait…his eyes widened with horror…they had said that they were no longer after the crown…they were after something of far more value…something that had fueled his impractical rage and made him susceptible to attack…

"No…" the Pharaoh whispered hoarsely, staring up at the green-clothed twin with horror-struck eyes. "You don't mean…"

"Oh yes…" Dox sneered heartlessly. "Now…we are after the girl…and there is nothing YOU can do about it."

Panicked, Yami opened his mouth to scream, to beg Tea to run as fast as she could away from here. Unfortunately…right as the wild cry reached his lips…Dox raised the flat end of the wood…and struck him in the head with it. Darkness encompassed his mind before he had the chance to utter a single word.

X

Tea was sure that, once she tried to separate herself from the curved mast of the ship…she would have a hard time doing it. She was holding onto the thing so tightly, she thought her body had fused into the wood. Her fingers gripped until they were white with effort and sore…but she did not relax them. She had never felt this panicked in her entire life.

All around, she saw darkness and mist rolling between the two large boulders ahead. Trees stood at the edge of the forest, twisted and gnarled like terrestrial skeletons. The air was cold, somehow made even colder by the pallid moonlight and there was a sense of overall despair on the biting breeze. While these gruesome details did little to help her fear…they were not the main cause of it. No…what had her frightened was not what she saw…but rather what she did NOT see.

Yami…had vanished. He'd been gone for at least twenty minutes and she had neither seen nor heard a single glimpse of him. How far could he possibly have gone unless…

Feeling the color drain from her face, Tea glanced down at Kuriboh. The little creature was sitting on her bench in the boat, eyes…wide…frightened…and grimly knowing. She shook her head. No…Yami couldn't have left her behind and absconded with the treasure…he wouldn't…

But the more the girl thought about it, the less she was sure. She would just have to be patient, waiting and praying for him to return. She squinted through the dusky fog, striving to see along the path where she had last seen the Pharaoh. At first, she glimpsed nothing…but after a few moments…a humanoid silhouette materialized in the vaporous shroud.

A smile of pure relief lit up Tea's grim features. She waved excitedly. "Oh thank goodness! I thought you had taken the crown and left me…"

The figure did not respond but continued moving forward. Thinking he had not heard her, the girl opened her mouth to repeat what she'd just said…and the words died on her lips. The figure…had a bulky build and rounded head…very unlike Yami. As it drew closer….something emerged from behind it…and she realized with a mounting horror that there were TWO ominous shaped approaching her in the darkness.

Heart lurching with dismay, Tea snatched Kuriboh out of the boat and stepped down from the mast. She sidled behind it and peered out, terrified, through the sinister fog. The mirrored forms drew ever closer…and she finally recognized them for who they were. It was the bald-headed twins with the strange markings on their foreheads from before. She had seen them right before the dam collapsed…and they apparently had some connection to Yami.

The man wearing the green kimono, apparently the more dominant of the two twins, stepped forward, only two or three feet away from Tea. He stared down his nose at her, face filled with scorn.

"He did," the man said, in answer to her last statement.

The girl gasped and took a step backward. She was hugging Kuriboh so tightly against her chest that he squeaked in protest. No…it wasn't true…it COULN'T be true…

"He…he wouldn't!" she hissed, narrowing her blue eyes angrily.

The orange kimono-wearing twin standing a little farther back smirked. He gestured his arm toward the fog-drenched water. "See for yourself."

Frowning, Tea turned…and the blood froze in her veins. There was a silhouette out on the hazy water…one that was clearly a sailboat. It held a single person at its wheel…and that person, though dark in the mist…was obviously Yami. She could see the spiky shape of his hair that made him so distinct from everyone else…one of the many things that made him so unique.

The girl's chest was heaving in disbelieving panic. No…no, it wasn't possible…yet she was staring at the cold, cruel truth with her own eyes. Yami…had taken the crown…and left. But…why? He loved her…she was sure he did…wasn't she…?

"It was a remarkable deal…" the rough-voiced twin continued. He held up his hand…and she saw a cloth sack clutched in it. "…a crown…for the girl with magic hair." The already unpleasant smile on his unsightly face grew even more terrible.

"Oh…no…" Tea whimpered, trembling at the sight of the bag no doubt meant to cover her head. She back-stepped slowly. "No!"

The man moved sharply to grab her. She dodged out of his grip and took off over the beach in the direction Yami had gone earlier. The road ahead was dark and even more dreary…but she didn't look back. The men behind her were shouting angrily…but she didn't look back. Her feet ached on the gravelly sand, but she did not slow down. She didn't have time to stop and deal with anything. She had to keep running…don't look back…

Then…Tea's head snapped backward and pain shot across her skull. She turned, gasping frantically…and saw that her braid had caught on a thickly-wooded bush. She set Kuriboh down and tugged at the hair, fighting back tears as she did so. Oh how she hated her hair…it was very well about to cost her life…and it had cost her love….

The brunette tugged, gulping air as she did. Just as she was about to throw caution to the wind and cut the cursed braid with whatever sharp object she could find…a sound caught her attention. Thudding…grunting…followed by toppling to the earth. She froze for a moment…reached forward…and carefully untangled her hair from the snare. She stood upright…and tiptoed soundlessly around the boulders to see what had transpired. The sight that assaulted Tea…shocked her to her very core.

Standing there…face illuminated by the odd glow of a tinted-green lantern….was Chono. She was hunched over, her shoulders heaving with labored, frantic breaths, cold blue eyes, wide. Cast in the eerie lighting…the woman looked…older. Her skin was networked with tiny wrinkles…and there were streaks of grey in her fiery red hair. It seemed that, Tea's absence…her regenerative hair's absence…had truly taken its toll on the woman.

"M…Mother?" the girl squeaked out. She made her way forward, slowly, as if in a dream. Kuriboh, meanwhile bounced away behind a bush to conceal himself.

Gasping, Chono slowly stood upright. In her hands, was a plank of wood…and lying on the ground at her feet…were the sinister twin brothers, both unconscious. It seemed that she had somehow been able to knock them out. Tea was more than shocked by this. She had never imagined that her mother would possess such…fierce skills.

"Oh, my dear!" Chono cried out and ran toward her. She wrapped her arms around her daughter and held her tightly.

Tea accordingly clung to her, for once not minding the way her fingers possessively combed through her hair…how her embrace was constricting rather than comforting. "How…" she breathed out, heart pounding. "How did you…?"

"Oh, my darling…!" Chono didn't answer. She pulled back and ran a hand over the girl's face, checking for injuries. "Are you all right? Are you hurt?"

"N-no…" Tea replied, brain still reeling. "I-I'm fine…"

"Those evil men came out of the woods…" the woman explained. "I…I saw them attack you, and…!" she didn't continue, squeezing the girl tight again. She released her, retrieved the lantern, and started walking toward the forest. "Come quickly, before they wake up!"

"W…wait…" The brunette protested weakly. She turned, as if in a daze…and slowly walked to the dark water's edge.

Several yards out on the lake…mostly obscured by the mist and shadows…was that lone ship. On it…she saw the single passenger….the spiky outline of his hair. She could imagine his crimson eyes gleaming as they stared piercingly through the fog…destined for some place that did not include her.

Tears filled Tea's eyes as she stared at the vessel. She had trusted him….she had believed in him…she had loved him so much….and he had left her. He had taken the crown…and just as Mother forewarned….left her. Never before had the girl felt such a biting, agonizing pain. It was if someone had taken a jagged knife made of ice…and driven it through her heart. It made the pain horridly cold…and dulling at the same time. Her entire body was numb with the shock and despair.

Slowly, Tea swiveled around…and stared at her Mother. Chono was standing at the entrance of the forest. Her face was grave and creepily lit by the emerald lantern. The wooded area behind her was pitch black and foreboding…but it held no fear for the girl. No…the only thing she could feel now…was intense grief.

The woman stared back for a moment. Then, she set the lantern down again…and held her arms wide open. The brunette tried to resist…tried to pretend it didn't hurt as badly as it did. She felt so stupid and ashamed. How could she believe Yami had loved her? Mother had warned her that this would happen…but she refused to listen. Chono gave a small, sad smile…and Tea finally couldn't take it anymore. Sobbing, she ran into her mother's embrace and clung to her like a little child.

"You…you were right, Mother…" the brunette whispered, clutching tightly at the woman's cloak.

Chono kissed the top of her head, stroking her braid gently. "I know, dear…" she whispered piteously.

Keeping one arm wrapped around her daughter's shoulders, the redhead retrieved her lantern and began their long walk through the forest. Kuriboh bounced along a few yards behind them, keeping at a safe distance so as not to be seen by Chono. Tea meanwhile, kept her head bent, her arms, wound tightly around her mother. The woman's comfort still felt as cold and stiff as ever…but she didn't care. She would take anything at this point…anything to relieve the endless pain of a shattered heart.

X

Love was a strange and beautiful thing. It filled the heart with a warmth that could relieve any cold…a light that could pierce through any darkness. It instilled a great sense of fulfillment and an even greater purpose in life. All of these sensations were so foreign to Bakura…yet he welcomed them quite literally with open arms.

He was currently walking through the city, which was now completely shrouded in foggy darkness. The moon shone down with a pallid, silvery light that made the mist seem even denser. The air was probably cool…and the thief pointedly used the word "probably" because he was not entirely sure…for he had quite the lovely heat source.

Bakura had been wandering along with his arm wrapped around Drearose's slender waist, her cheek against his shoulder and his pressed into her soft, golden hair. Ever since they had finally admitted their love for one another…the two young people had been inseparable. He could smell the sweet jasmine crown atop her head…could feel the gentle warmth she gave off. Genuine, human affection was a luxury completely unfamiliar to him…and he had absolutely no desire to separate himself from it. Drearose too had her green eyes closed, her rosy lips twisted into a small, tranquil smile. It seemed that she did not wish to leave their position either.

Smiling affectionately, the thief dropped a chaste kiss on her head before lifting his chocolate eyes to take in their surroundings. He was quite surprised at what he saw. Towering above them…were the pristine white walls of the castle, glistening in the moonlight. The section of the structure beside which they were walking was a dark, carefully-constructed building of gunmetal stone…the guardhouse and prison. On their opposite side ran a small harbor used by the royal soldiery to ferry in supplies as well as criminals. There were only a few barnacle-crusted docks with small vessels attached to them, the dark water quietly lapping against the soggy wood.

Bakura glanced back at the sinister iron bars lining the scanty windows of the stone building…and felt a shiver go through him. Drearose turned her head to look up at him. Concern was written clearly across her pretty face.

"What's wrong?"

Perhaps it was only an effect of the foreboding atmosphere…or perhaps the thief was growing soft…but he could not help but feel displeased by one small detail in their grand odyssey.

"I was just thinking…" he said slowly, choosing his words carefully. "…about Yami." He decided he would leave it up to her to sort out was he was trying to say. He didn't want to say the wrong thing and risk putting a crack in their new relationship.

The girl frowned slightly, turning her green eyes away from his. She looked at the water…then at the guardhouse…and he felt her body stiffen as she obviously realized what had him disturbed.

"Oh…" was all she murmured, biting her lip.

Bakura hated to quiz her like this, knowing it made her uncomfortable…but he could do nothing about it. There was no denying that neither of them wanted to turn Yami in for his theft. He was a true, noble individual and had only committed those actions because he felt it was necessary. Unfortunately…with a man like Kaiba heading up the royal forces…there would be few who would listen to that.

"So…" the snowy-haired rogue continued gently. "…what can we do about it?"

Drearose was silent for several moments, her eyes shadowed and troubled. She opened her mouth to respond…and abruptly drew in a sharp breath, pointing ahead of her.

"Look!"

Following her gaze, Bakura looked…and gasped. There was a small sailboat resting against a dock, the current of the water holding it in place. Only one individual was manning it….and that individual was Yami. However…it seemed as though he had not had much of a choice in the matter. His wrists were tied to the boat's wheel pegs, his legs and waist to the lower part of it. He was blinking his crimson eyes rapidly, as if trying to wake up from unconsciousness…and staring at something. Bakura's heart fell when he saw what that something was. Secured tightly to his hand…was the stolen crown.

The thief's mind was reeling. What on earth could have happened here? There was no way Yami would have left Tea for the treasure…and even if he had why would he sail here? On top of that, why in the name of Zorc would he have tied himself to the boat? No…it was quite obvious that someone had done this to him…and Bakura had a pretty good hunch of who it was. As far as he knew…Yami had only two enemies that were connected to his crown venture…and those two were the Paradox brothers.

He cursed, took Drearose's hand, and started to move forward…but a shout cut him off. Following the incoherent voice, a group of soldiers swarmed out of the guardhouse and over to the ship. These armored men were led by none other than Captain Seto Kaiba. He pointed at the bound ship passenger, ordering his subordinates to seize and imprison. The men obliged, cutting the ropes securing Yami to the ship and dragging him, and the crown, onto the dock.

Yami thrashed about and fought, but the men held tightly to his arms. His crimson eyes were wild and Bakura was sure he saw a trickle of blood trailing down the side of his head. So, he HAD been knocked unconscious…

"Let me go!" the young man shouted, his deep voice sounding on the verge of hysterics rather than its usual formidably firm tone. He kept glancing backward across the water at a beach that lay many yards across it. "I have to…find her…!"

"Throw him in the dungeon!" Kaiba barked at the soldiers. "And take the crown back to its rightful resting place!"

Drearose, who had been standing and staring in shock at the entire spectacle, finally snapped back to reality. Clutching tightly to her lover's hand, she raced forward and directly up to her commanding officer.

"Captain Kaiba!" she cried, halting a few feet away from him.

Kaiba slowly turned and stared at her. He blinked for a moment, seeming not to recognize her, and finally smirked in his usual derisive manner. His face held its customary coldness, but his blue eyes glinted with smug satisfaction.

"Well…" he began, glancing at the prisoner struggling in his captors' grasp. "…I can't believe I'm saying this, but good work." Though he did not follow the statement with, "soldier" which made the thief's blood boil. "You brought him to us all wrapped up in a bow along with the crown. Lucky for you or you would not have had a job to come back to."

"Captain…" Drearose started to protest, but the soldier waved a hand to silence her. He turned his back to them and stared scornfully over his shoulder at Bakura.

"As much as I HATE honoring the dishonorable…" he muttered. "…a deal is a deal and I always keep my word. You are free to go, thief."

Bakura grunted and opened his mouth to tell him to shut up but Drearose beat him to it.

"Sir, you cannot imprison Yami!"

Kaiba stared ahead as the heavy doors to the prison slammed shut, muffling Yami's shouts from within. "It looks like I just did," he smirked.

"But he is not the real villain in all this!" the girl cried, her voice sounding desperate.

The captain finally turned and fixed her with a cold, firm stare. His manner was calm…but there was something in his stance…something dangerous that made the thief protectively move slightly in front of the one he loved.

Voice icy calm, Kaiba asked, "Did Yami not, with the help of your thief friend here and two others, steal the lost princess's crown from the castle?"

"Well, yes, but…"

"Then he most certainly IS a 'real villain in this'," the man replied curtly.

The she-knight frantically shook her head. "It is not Yami but the TWO OTHERS you mentioned who should be locked up in the dungeon! They are pure evil, guilty of who knows how many other crimes! Yami stole because it was necessary for his survival, not because of greed!"

The captain's eyes glittered dangerously. It was quite obvious that his opinion of the girl was dropping ever-lower. Bakura felt completely helpless as he watched the heated conversation…but knew it would be better if he remained silent.

"In response to your first comment…" Kaiba growled through clenched teeth. "…I am well-aware of that and will be sending some soldiers out to look for those two scoundrels." His eyes narrowed further and he took a threatening step forward. "As for your SECOND…it does not matter WHY he committed the offense. He is a criminal and he WILL be punished at the gallows for his offense against our king and queen. I suggest you sort out who deserves your loyalty before you go making rash statements like that."

Each one of his words was tipped with a stinger filled with poison…but the girl refused to back down. "So you're going to condemn a young man to be hanged because he did what he thought necessary to survive? After speaking to him, I know he wouldn't even have kept the crown! He is an honorable individual and he found something far more important than a piece of jewelry! But thanks to YOU he may never get back to it now!" her voice rose with indignation.

Kaiba's face darkened and a snarl formed on his lips. He opened his twisted mouth to snap something...but no words came out. Instead, he closed his eyes, turned, and started to walk away. He reached the guardhouse door and stopped at it, his livid-white fingers grazing the handle.

"You've done your job adequately, Drearose…" Kaiba muttered in a low, acidic tone. He glanced over his shoulder…and glared pointedly at the couple's clasped hands and the crown of jasmine before looking at his knight. "…therefore I acknowledge that you have earned your night's evening's break from duties. Now go COOL OFF…go off with your thief charming and make daisy chains before you go falling in love with any more criminals!"

Drearose lurched, the air physically knocked out of her from the barbarous statement. Kaiba gave her one last scornful look...entered the prison…and slammed the door shut behind him.

The she-knight stood, motionless and stunned, for a long moment. Her eyes were wide…her face pale….her lips partially open to state some protest she never got the chance to. Her captain's words had cut her deeply…and Bakura felt ashamed as he was the root cause of the insult. Perhaps…it would have been better for her if he had never come into her life…she would have turned Yami in and had no qualms about it…but now…

Finally seeming to snap out of her daze, Drearose gave a bitter sound between a sigh and a cry of angry incredulity. She started to move forward toward the prison doors. Bakura, however, grabbed her, pulling her back to him. There would be no use in her further endangering career. Further pestering Kaiba would do no more good than standing and screaming outside the prison walls.

The girl stiffened rebelliously at first…but eventually let herself slump against her love. The thief held her, rubbing her back, stroking her soft golden hair. It felt as though all the strength had left her body…and she was as fragile as the flowers that adorned her head. She clutched angrily at his shirt.

"I can't just let him die…!" Drearose whispered, her voice shaking. "He doesn't deserve it…and Tea will be heartbroken…!"

Tea…Bakura wondered what had happened to her. Yami would probably know…but they couldn't get to him. There was nothing they could do without help of some sort from someone else….help….

The thief's eyes lit up. An idea was pricking at his brain. It was slightly crazy…but it just might work. Aside from himself, Tea, and Drearose…Yami had no one who was loyal to him…no one except one group of people. These individuals had proven as much when they did their best to conceal the renegades' whereabouts…when they strove to keep Yami and Tea safe from the law.

"If only we could break him out of there somehow…" the she-knight sighed, accenting her boyfriend's thoughts. "It's against the law, I know…but…"

A crooked smile twisted the rogue's lips. "What better way to commit a criminal act then with a bunch of criminals…?"

Drearose looked up at him in confusion. "What?"

Still grinning, he took her hand and set off at a quick pace toward the dark forest. "Come on. I'll explain on the way," he told her.

Stumbling to keep up, the she-knight incredulously asked, "Wha…where are we going?'

"To see a few of Yami's old friends at the Torike Tavern," was Bakura's simplistic reply.

**LOL I hated cutting off Yami and Tea's kiss…it's the movie's fault XD. Anyway, I hope you liked and please review ^_^! By the way, I figured I would go ahead and announce my next story commitments… as soon as I finish this one, I have promised to do a softshipping (RyouxSerenity) one shot and another humorous one shot at some point (not sure when). My next movie project is going to be Revolution Tim Burton's Edward Scissorhands. I'm not sure when I'll start it because, as aforementioned, I'm going to be really busy for awhile but I'm looking forward to it ^_^.**

**I DO NOT OWN YUGIOH OR TANGLED**


	15. Memories and Jail Breaks

**I DO NOT OWN YUGIOH OR TANGLED**

**Chapter fifteen is up ^_^! Sooooo sorry for the wait, I've been uber busy. The next chapter may be a bit slow too but it will be the last. Also, forgot to mention this last chapter… I have not forgotten about my Ghost Rider sequel but I decided that it will be based on Ghost Rider 2. Therefore I have to wait until I can get it on dvd before I start it :).**

**Sailorblaze: Haha thanks, I hope the stories turn out well :).**

**Sunrise Phoenix: Thank you ^_^! Hahah yeah they need to frying pan slam Kaiba lol.**

**Aqua girl 007: XD it kind of reminds me of how Priest Seto was in YGO season 5 lol. He was really ruthless toward criminals. **

**Infernoinside: Thanks ^_^!**

**Coka Cookie Cola: It's a good movie :). The ending is really sad (I'm going to change it in my fic) but it's sweet ^_^.**

**The Real Contestshipping Princess: Haha time for Yami to break out ^_^! Oh well, Kaiba will get a little reality check by the time this is over XD.**

**Sorceress of the Nile: Thanks :)! Hahah I'm glad you suggested it too, I'm having a lot of fun with it ^_^. Yup, I think Edward Scissorhands will be a fun story and I'm going to change the ending so it's not sad.**

**MutantEnemy101: Thank you :)! It's really sad but sweet. I'm going to change the ending in my version ^_^. Hahaha there are MANY times when I want to hurt Kaiba myself XD.**

**Darky2510: Yup, this is Yami's breakout chapter :). Edward Scissorhands is amazing but it will DEFINITELY make you cry. The ending is sad and I'm going to change it in my fic. Mmmm…I enjoyed Edward Scissorhands but someone told me the ending before I watched it so I was prepared for it :).**

**Kender20: Haha she'll get what's coming to her ^_^.**

**DarkAngelBattis: Haha they are definitely evil XD.**

**X**

He was like a wildcat locked up in a cage. Back and forth he paced around the small stone chamber, his ebony-clad form tense and dangerous. There were only a few rays of sunlight seeping through the tiny barred window of the dark cell, but his blood eyes flicked over every detail, able to neither relax nor sleep. His sharp, unruly hair stood even more on end than usual like the war-torn main of a lion, electrified by his frayed nerves.

Yes…the idle thought broke through a torrent of worried buzzing around Yami's skull…he had never felt this agitated before in his entire life. He had his arms crossed tightly over his chest and his fingernails dug into both biceps. He had wandered endlessly about this cramped space, taking in every nook and cranny from the stone walls to the iron-hinged wood door. He had pounded on that same door and shouted until the sides of his hands were bruised and his voice was hoarse…but there was no way out.

Finally, Yami ceased his useless pacing and let out a furious Egyptian curse. He grasped the cold metal bars of the window and pressed his forehead against the wall. The frigid stone helped to cool his burning skull…but it did little to remedy the terrible thoughts whirling around like a relentless cyclone. All of these worries…began with one name.

Tea…Tea…Tea. What had happened to her? Was she safe? Had the Paradox brother gotten to her? If not…where had she gone? He growled, his fingers growing livid white as they tightened on the bars. He should be out there protecting her…but he was here instead, stuck in this miserable prison. He had never felt so useless…so helpless in his entire life.

The Pharaoh growled angrily. He squeezed his burning blood eyes shut. All of this…was his fault. He had taken the coward's way out of his original problem of poverty. In spite of all the good things that had come out of it…Tea mainly…a theft and betrayal was still a theft and betrayal…and because of his actions…the one he loved…the only one he had ever loved…might be in dire peril. He would never forgive himself if the girl was harmed because of him…

A sudden clicking, jangling noise broke through the palpable silence of the cell. Yami opened his eyes. He slowly turned to face the cursed wooden barrier trapping him inside. The door swung open…and in stepped the guard captain from before, "Kaiba" he thought he heard Drearose call him. The man was wearing costly-looking armor that glinted in the dim lighting…a glint which brought out the triumphant sparkle in his cold, blue eyes. He was accompanied by two other guards wearing grim expressions.

Kaiba turned his head slightly upward so that he was looking down his nose at the Pharaoh. Yami almost chuckled at the irony. Five thousand years before, this person would have been flayed to the bone for such a blatant expression of disrespect…now…if he, the petty thief, made such a movement…he would probably be more than "manhandled" by the guards.

"Let's get this over with, prisoner," the captain said evenly.

The Pharaoh tilted his head to one side and frowned. "Where are we going…?"

Kaiba stared at him coldly for a long moment. Yami's heart pounded…because he thought he knew the answer to his own question. The captain finally answered…but not with words. Instead…he gave a chilling smirk…and cracked his neck.

Yami's hands instinctively went to his own throat. So…he was right. They were taking him off to be hanged…just as he suspected. Truthfully, he didn't care about his own life…but he did care about Tea's. His life was null without her in it…and he had no idea what had happened to her. In fact…the more he thought about it…the more he realized that he had no idea about a lot of things. For example…how did Para and Dox know about Tea and her mystical hair in the first place? He certainly had not told them…and Bakura hadn't known before their partnership…so how had they gained the knowledge…?

The young man didn't have much time to contemplate it…for the soldiers roughly seized his arms, slapped iron shackles on his wrists, and dragged him out of the cell. They shoved him roughly down the hallway, adding to the bruises he had already sustained from his capture…but he did not complain. He didn't really care what they did to him…his only worry…was her.

The hallway of the prison was just as dismal as the cells themselves. There were no solid walls…only iron bars with brutal thug after brutal thug behind them. The cell he had been in must have been some sort of maximum security chamber with its thick wood door and scanty window. These men had no privacy, their scarred faces clearly visible to all. Yami anxiously watched for any familiar faces he might have run into in the back alleys and sketchy dives of Riazlora…but was relieved to recognize no one.

Kaiba walked ahead of him and the guards. He took long, purposeful strides, throwing a scornful smirk or scowl at the inmates every now and then. His entire being was one of arrogance and ruthlessness…though he was not a dishonorable man. The Pharaoh could now see why Drearose took her position so seriously. She must have some powerful sort of influence over this man to obtain a job from him.

The group of four rounded a sharp corner. Yami grunted as the guards unceremoniously yanked him down another lengthy hall of cells and deviants. His crimson eyes darted over every crumbling stone wall and cobweb…until they froze on one particular cell. Inside the cell were two men…two twins…and the sight of them made his blood go cold.

Dox was huddled in a corner, his ugly face wearing a dark expression. He stared ahead as if he could drill a hole through the walls entrapping him just be staring at them. Para, on the other hand, was sitting in the opposite corner against the thick iron bars. The metal was pressing uncomfortably into his face…but he seemed not to care, his expression distant…melancholy…and vulnerable.

A rage more powerful than anything he had ever felt before coursed through Yami's veins. His frozen heart jump started. His entire body felt suddenly electrified. Fueled by anger, her wrenched himself free from the men holding his arms and seized the collar of Para's kimono. Yami's wrists were still bound together by the shackles…but that did not stop him from slamming the twin's face relentlessly into the bars, his knuckles white with fury.

The Pharaoh's eyes burned like fire. His teeth were bared in a snarl, his brows furrowed lividly. Fear flashed across Para's face. He did not, however, attempt to pull back…and Dox, rolling his eyes at the entire scene, made no move to assist his brother. Yami tightened his grip on the orange fabric and pulled the man even closer. He grunted in pain as the bars stabbed into his skin, the fear growing even more obvious on his face.

"How did you know?" Yami hissed through clenched teeth. He slammed his captive's jaw into the bars and snarled, "HOW did you know about her?"

Para winced in pain and cried out, "It wasn't us! We DIDN'T know at first! The old lady told us!"

"Old la….?" The Pharaoh murmured…and his voice trailed off in horror. There was only one older woman who would have ties to Tea…and that was the girl's mother. He had never seen her…but he had gotten the impression that she was "overprotective" to say the least. He had no doubt now that the woman had found her…and would have most certainly dragged her back to her miserable tower.

His heart pounded. No…if Tea's mother gotten hold of her he would never see her again. He turned…and met the glowering face of Captain Seto Kaiba. His eyes glinted like blue daggers as he glared at his prisoner. He made a slight movement with his head…and the two guards snatched Yami's arms again, their grips agonizingly strong this time.

"No!" the Pharaoh shouted desperately, struggling and flailing with his bound arms. "She's in trouble!"

But the men paid his words no heed.

"Come on!" Growled one of them…and Yami was again hauled down the hallway, each step taking him farther and farther away from the one he loved…and closer and closer to the gallows.

X

The last flower slipped from her hair like fingers through water. The silky locks were hanging free again, flowing around her like a chocolate waterfall…but she didn't bother to comb or push them out of the way. The rest of the colorful buds lay in a small basket on the floor…but she paid no regard to it. No…the only thing that Tea cared to look at…was her hands clasped tightly on her lap.

She was in her room again…same soft bed clothed in cerulean blankets…same cool stone floors…same walls painted by her own hand with bright colors and designs…same lonely, mundane tower. Her mother sat on the bed behind her, placing the final flower from her unbraided hair into the basket and running her sharp fingers through the locks…just like always. Everything was seemingly just as it had been for eighteen years…but the pain in her heart was all too new. The unbridled grief had faded…and now Tea felt…purely and simply numb. She sat there, frozen, azure eyes fixed on her hands…staring at them and yet staring at nothing...or so it seemed.

Chono carefully brushed a stray strand of hair behind her daughter's ear. Her long fingernails were sharp against her tender neck…but she didn't comment. She just kept her eyes locked on her white fingers…her palms sweating against what was concealed between them.

"There now…" Chono slid off the bed. She picked up the basket of flowers, turned, and fixed Tea with a smile that seemed…almost satisfied. "…the flowers are gone. It never happened."

Tea glanced up at her briefly and let her eyes fall again. The woman looked slightly haggard with streaks of grey in her bright hair. She hadn't dared to ask her miserable daughter to dance and restore her yet…but it was obvious by the slight twitch in her smile that she was impatient to do exactly that. The girl didn't offer in any way to hurry up the action. She kept her gaze firmly on the light blue hem of her dress.

Chono's footsteps padded over to the royal blue curtain that served as a door to Tea's room. "I'm making hazelnut soup tonight…" the woman started…and her voice trailed off. She waited for her daughter to look up at her…but Tea did not. Finally, the woman sighed with obvious exasperation.

"I did try to warn, you Tea, I really did…" she muttered. "The world is a dark place filled with selfish people…and the moment it sees the slightest glimmer of light…it extinguishes it."

The brunette did not respond. Her mother sighed again, closed the curtain…and descended down the stairs, her footsteps growing softer and softer as she went. Tea was still for several moments longer…until a soft squeak caught her attention. She glanced backward over her shoulder and saw Kuriboh poking his fuzzy face out from his hiding place among her pillows. He crawled across the blankets and snuggled up against her, his eyes sad and gentle. The girl sighed softly. She finally let her fingers uncurl.

Resting on her palms…was one of the small purple flags from the village festival. She had kept it hidden from Mother who wanted her to forget the entire venture…but she could not forget. Even if it were possible for her to do so…she didn't WANT to forget. Tea stared down at the vibrant sun pattern on the flag, her fingers trembling slightly. She couldn't hate Yami. She had tried…but she loved him. She would hang onto the good memories…and hope that time would ravage the bad until their sting was not so sharp.

Sighing the brunette flopped backward on the bed. She let her blue eyes flutter closed. She could still feel his fingers gently caressing her face…his warm breath converging with hers…she couldn't believe she would never see him again. Biting her lip, Tea opened her eyes…and squinted in perplexity at something on her ceiling. She held up the flag in her hands…and looked at the ceiling again. Her perplexed frown deepened.

The walls had long since been coated in murals, pictures, and whimsical designs. Each painting was more different than the next…but they all had one thing in common. The focal point of detailed flowers, spontaneous bursts, and the flowing dresses of fairies…was always the same shape…a bright, burning sun.

Tea stood up, heart pounding. She turned, glancing all around at the mural-painted walls. Everywhere…they were everywhere. At the center of each elegantly-drawn piece was that same flaming sun. But…she had done these paintings years ago…and she had only seen the Riazlorean symbol in the village…so how was that possible? Unless…she had seen that insignia before.

As if the thought had broken some sort of magical seal, images began to flash in Tea's mind. She stumbled forward in shock and gasped as the visions…no…as the memories of so many years ago resurfaced. She saw that golden sun hanging above her head…on a mobile floating above a plush crib. She saw her own pudgy baby fingers reaching for the sun. Then…two faces appeared over the side of the crib…the faces of the king and queen. They were smiling down at her as if she was someone they loved…as if…she was THEIR daughter. The queen beamed lovingly, her chocolate hair flowing around her pretty face…and the king affectionately stroked the girl's cheek, his azure eyes sparkling. Chocolate hair…azure eyes…her hair…her eyes….everything was suddenly so clear.

Tea stumbled backward and slammed into her vanity. She caught herself on the white-painted wood, chest heaving frantically. No…it wasn't possible…and yet the truth was there, engraved quite obviously into her reeling mind. All these years…she had been taught that she was an outsider to the world…when all along it was her rightful home. All these years she had wondered why her family felt so cold, so…wrong…when all along her true family had been there, right outside her window. The girl's eyes narrowed with slowly-flaring rage and she pushed herself upright. Kuriboh was still sitting on the bed, staring at her with wide eyes…but she said nothing. How could she…when she couldn't quite find the words?

"Tea!" Chono's voice sounded from the bottom of the stairs. "What's all that banging around up there?"

The brunette emitted a low growl. She did not answer, slowly making her way to the closed curtain, as if in a dream.

"Tea? Answer me, dear!"

She grasped the fabric.

"Tea!" The woman was close now, ascending the staircase. "Are you all right?"

Tea threw open the curtains…but did not release them. She clutched the cloth tightly, still panting. Her eyes fixed on the boards of the staircase landing while she tried to control her anger…her shock.

Chono stopped a few feet away from her, one hand resting on the wall, the other on her hip. "Tea, dear, why didn't you answer me?" she asked in that sickly sweet tone.

The girl's fingers further tightened on the curtain. She had finally found the words to say what had been flashing through her mind these past few moments. "I…I'm the lost princess…"

Chono huffed in irritation at the softly-spoken words. "Speak up, Tea, you KNOW how I hate the mumbling!"

"I am the lost princess!" the girl snapped. She finally looked up. Her so-called "mother's" face, originally fixed in an annoyed frown…froze. The color left her slightly-sagging skin…and her eyes widened. Tea released the curtains and stood up to her full height, her posture holding a dangerous edge she had never before displayed. "Did I mumble, Mother?" she hissed. "Or…should I even call you that?"

The woman blinked…then forced a calm, teasing smile onto her features. "Oh, Tea, do you even hear yourself?" she scoffed, walking up the stairs to stand before her. "Why would you ask such a ludicrous question?"

This dismissive statement…made so casually as a hundred others in Tea's life…made her blood boil. Her suspicions were instantly solidified. "It was you!" she snarled, stepping away from the curtains and onto the landing. Her entire body shook with anger. "It was all YOU!"

Chono opened her mouth, probably to deny it…but one look at the brunette's feverishly glittering eyes made her think otherwise. She closed her mouth…and her face became cool, impassive.

"Everything I did…" she muttered. "…was to protect YOU."

Tea gave her an outraged look. She started to say something…but realized that no words would come in her fury-glazed mind. Instead, she snarled, shoved the woman out of the way, and stormed down the stairs.

"Tea!" Chono yelped, clearly surprised…but the girl ignored her.

Everything made perfect sense now…why the woman insisted on having Tea dance to keep her perfectly young and beautiful…why she wouldn't let her see the world beyond…why she had kidnapped her in the first place…and why she had never given her the love a true mother would have. She had claimed she was protecting the girl…when all along she had been hiding her from her true protectors.

"All these years I have been hiding from people who would use me for my power…" Tea began, stepping off the final step and onto the cold, cruel tile. She whipped around and shouted, "All along I should have been hiding from you!"

Chono glided slowly down the stairs. Her expression was still impassive…but the girl could see the hardness growing in her eyes. She couldn't believe the woman was still trying to maintain her "motherly" front.

"Where will you go?" Chono muttered evenly. "He won't be there for you…"

Yami…of course, Yami hadn't abandoned her either. "What did you do to him?" Tea demanded.

Chono reached the bottom of the staircase and shrugged. "He is a criminal. He will be hanged for his crimes."

"No…!" Tea's hands flew to her mouth. She never should have doubted him…and now…because she had…he might die for it.

"Now, now…" the hated woman crooned with that terrible false kindness. She circled around her stolen daughter and gave her a sickeningly calm smile. "…it's all right. Everything is as it should be…" and she raised her hand to pat the girl on her head like the obedient pet she had always been.

"NO!" Tea screeched. She grabbed the woman's arm in a vice-like grip. She wasn't going to be the obedient pet anymore. Shock and something like fear flashed across Chono's features. She tried to pull away…but she could not escape the young woman's grasp. "You were WRONG about the world!" Tea hissed. "And you were wrong about ME! And I will NEVER let you use my hair again!"

Chono gave another tug and Tea finally released her. She stumbled backward, slamming her back into one of the dancing mirrors. The object fell to the floor and shattered, scattering sharp shards every which way. The silvery fragments glittered in the pale morning light, like the barrier that had finally been broken down in Tea's mind. Panting, Chono stood there, gawking at her daughter. Tea only glared back. She had won this battle…the woman had never expected the gentle girl to possess such a fiery spirit…

At least…that was what Tea thought. Slowly…the red-head's blue eyes narrowed into slits. Her body grew tense with a wicked strength no one would have ever guessed she harbored. Her entire being…seemed to be surrounded by darkness.

"Oh….you want ME to be the bad guy?" Chono seethed, stepping forward. "Very well then…I'm the bad guy."

X

The fire was lit within him again. The excitement…anxiety…thrilled anticipation of besting someone…Bakura had forgotten how much he relished it. In spite of his newfound relief of loneliness…he was still a restless soul desiring adventure…and mischief.

A vampiric grin twisted the thief's face. His dark eyes darted adeptly around the passage in which he was hiding. It was a long passage in the prison wing of the castle guardhouse. There were two doors, one across from the other, several feet away from him and another wood door a yard away at the hall's end. That door led to the courtyard next to the bridge leading into the village, the other two, to various other parts of the prison.

The passage itself was made of cold grey stone and seemed to stretch on for miles…though in truth it only went on for a few yards, curving into a sharp bend that led to the jail cells. This area was designed to look lengthy and foreboding…since one of the side doors led off to the gallows. Bakura was concealed in an uneven section of the wall that cropped out a little farther than the rest of it. A normal individual would have been fully visible in that spot…but he wasn't a normal individual. He could squeeze into nooks and crannies with the nimbleness of a cat and could wrangle himself out of them just as easily. This was just another break-in job for him…but for his two partners, it was madness. The rogue was therefore exceedingly grateful for the easy hiding places in this tunnel that they had chosen as opposed to his precarious one.

Footsteps sounded at the end of the passageway. They were faint…but seemed to signal the approach of three or more individuals. Bakura's grin widened to show his wolfishly sharp incisors. His fingers tightened on the key objects he was holding. This was always his favorite part of the mission…outsmarting pompous fools. Still…he made himself calm down…and wait…wait for the opportune moment.

The footsteps were moving agonizingly slow and the rogue could practically feel the tension of his partners concealed along with him. The noise soon grew louder…and Bakura was sure that its source was rounding the corner into the passage now. He pressed his back further into the hard corner…but allowed his eyes to peer as far out of the space as he dared. He worried that his snowy bangs were visible…but it was vital that he see how far along the enemy was…so that he could strike at the perfect time. He only had one chance to get this right.

Bakura peeked from being the stone wall…and had to stifle a triumphant chuckle. There were four men coming several yards down the tunnel…that pretentious stick-in-the-mud, Seto Kaiba, two guard flunkies…and Yami. The young man was bound with iron shackles and the soldiers were holding his arms with painful intentness. His expression was ravaged with what looked like worry…and his entire body was tense. It was quite obvious that the men were not restraining him on a whim. If they let their guard down the slightest bit…Yami would fight like a wildcat.

Kaiba walked in front of them, his cold face fixed in an impassive line. He seemed to have gotten over his previous smugness of capturing a wanted criminal. Now, he was simply doing his job…by killing an innocent man. Bakura felt his blood boil. He wondered how many pitiable outcasts were locked up in this dismal place…and had been killed for doing what they thought was necessary to survive. He shook the thought away and swallowed hard. He couldn't think about that right now. He had to concentrate on the task at hand…or risk adding to the number of misfortunes in this place.

The group was only a yard or so away now. Bakura's eyes flicked to the door on the wall opposite and several feet diagonally from him. He couldn't risk looking at the door mounted on the same wall in which he was hidden…but that suited him just fine…for behind the barred window of the door at which he was looking…he caught the flash of jade green eyes. They met his…and bobbed slowly up and down, a signal that their owner was ready. Bakura nodded back and waited…waited for Kaiba to come within a few feet of him…waited for the guards on either side of Yami to reach the spot where the twin doors were positioned directly beside each of them. He stepped out from his hiding place.

Upon seeing the thief, Kaiba's expressionless face flashed briefly with surprise. The surprise, however, was quickly replaced by annoyance…and suspicion.

"You…why are you here? I told you, as much as it pains me, you are free to go. Leave before I change my mind."

Yami's crimson eyes were slightly narrowed in confusion…but he was clearly surprised. Still…he said nothing…did not try to escape in the momentary pause…and the thief was grateful for that.

Bakura smirked at the now stationary men. He was anxious to commence their plan…but now wasn't the time. He didn't have the captain's full attention yet…and he needed that desperately. The rogue had his hands behind his back, holding both of the vital supplies. Keeping one hand and item hidden, he held up the other. That hand…clutched an old "Wanted" poster of himself and Yami. As expected, his nose had been drawn abominably, looking like a carrot mounted upon his inked face. Only a day or so before…he vowed he would strangle someone if he saw one of those horrible portraits again…last night…he had been hoping against all hope that he would find just one. How amusing irony could be…

"I have some important business to discuss with you, Captain Kaiba," Bakura announced in a clear, even tone. He tilted his chin upward slightly, accentuating the official-sounding statement.

Kaiba's chestnut brows arched slightly. The thief could not tell if he was amused…or if he was holding back a savage response with his cool, calculating front.

"Oh?" the man muttered, crossing his arms over his chest.

The movement caught Bakura's attention…and nearly made him blow his cover with an involuntary grin. If Kaiba was relaxed enough to cross his arms, fatally increasing the time it would take him to draw his sword in case of a threat…it meant that he thought the thief was not dangerous. Oh…how wrong he was…

Bakura inclined his head in the direction of the poster he was holding, careful to keep his other hand hidden. "Indeed. It is a matter of the utmost importance."

Kaiba's frown deepened. A glint of curiosity entered his blue eyes. "Well…" he began warily. "…let's hear it."

"The urgent issue I wish to bring up with you is…." The thief paused, letting the suspense drag out to agonizing lengths. "…what bloody IDIOT do you have sketching my mug shot?"

Whatever small spark of interest previously existing on the guard captain's face…vanished. His jaw tensed and angry impatience flared in his eyes. "THIS…is the issue you wanted to discuss with me…?" He said with incredulity and a hint of barely-contained foul temper. "You must be joking…"

"On the contrary, Captain, I am quite serious!" Bakura retorted with perfect timeliness and calmness…though his heart was racing. He was almost there…he just had to make the man a little angrier so that his guard…his awareness…would be distracted.

He turned his eyes toward the poster. It was a risky move…but one that was necessary to keep his quarry's attention away from the doors.

"Just think about it…" he reasoned. "If that incompetent fool can't get MY perfect face right…imagine how terrible he must be at drawing those LESS fortunate in their looks! Why…you might find yourself convicting a perfectly innocent man simply because of one artist's lack of skill!"

Bakura finally glanced back to the men. He risked a millisecond-long peek at Yami's face…and saw utter bewilderment scrawled across it. He had no idea what the thief was playing at…but seemed to trust him just enough to keep the question silent. Bakura settled his eyes on Kaiba…and was sure that he saw rage veins popping up on the captain's forehead. His eyes burned furiously at the man standing in his path. If looks could kill, Bakura was sure he would be long dead.

"THIS…is why you broke into the guardhouse and interrupted me…?" the man seethed. His voice was filled with the kind of anger that contained confusion, as if he simply could not believe what he was being told was true.

The rogue tilted his head to one side…and smiled. "Now, now, Kaiba…" he crooned. "…don't sound so surprised. Someone had to tell you before your little cronies go around slapping too many shoddy 'Wanted' signs on walls, doors, windows…and of course, trees…NATURE…" his smile twisted into a grin. That was it…the code word he had established…nature.

Instantly, the doors beside each guard flew open. The dimwitted men goggled at them in surprise…and had time to do little more than gasp as a pair of hands shot from each opening, clamped over their mouths, and dragged them inside. Bakura saw burning green eyes through the door on the right side of the passage…and a silvery violet gaze through the other before both doors closed again.

Yami's blood eyes widened with shock. He stood upright and glanced back and forth at each door. A slight shuffling and struggling could be heard behind the wood…but it was mostly drowned out by Kaiba's outraged ranting. He was on a hand-shaking, insult-slinging tirade, complaining about the "filthy criminal" and "how dare he waste a noble man's time". In his rage…he had failed to notice his sudden lack of guards.

As the captain fumed onward, Bakura met Yami's gaze. The young man was grinning now, his eyes gleaming with triumph. He tilted his head slightly, a silent request for permission. The rogue gave a slight nod and winked. He had hoped his companion would catch onto the plan…it Yami had seemingly not disappointed him.

"Kaiba…" the spiky-haired renegade began calmly. "…your temper will be your undoing one of these days…"

Kaiba's eyes flared. He turned around to sneer at his prisoner…and froze. "What…where are….?" He started.

Yami continued casually, as if the man hadn't even spoken. "…and by 'one of these days'…I mean today."

The captain's head raised, clearly about to ask a question. He never got the chance…for Bakura finally produced the other item he had hidden behind his back. It was a frying pan…Tea's frying pan that she had left behind. With a swift, strong movement, he struck the back of Kaiba's vulnerable head with the hard metal object. A satisfying "gonging" sound filled the air…and Kaiba crumpled into an unconscious pile on the floor.

The rogue chuckled and looked up at an equally-grinning Yami. "Frying pans…" he laughed. "…who knew?"

Yami rolled his eyes but allowed himself a small chuckle as well. The two doors opened. Drearose stepped out from one of them, dusting off her hands with a satisfied air. Behind her…lay the slumbering form of on the soldiers. From the other door…stepped a certain foreign-looking young man with dark skin, platinum blonde hair, and a muscled torso.

"Marik?" Yami exclaimed incredulously. "What are YOU doing here?"

Marik cracked his knuckles and gave a small, self-satisfied smile. "I told you to take care of Tea…and I'm holding you to that vow. You can't do the job very effectively locked up in a jail cell."

Yami was still goggling. He glanced at each face with wide, disbelieving eyes. His gaze eventually landed on Bakura. "You…you brought him here?"

The rogue laughed around and placed his arm around Drearose's shoulders. "As well as a few others. Don't look so surprised, 'your highness'," he smirked. "I may be a lowly thief, but I have eyes and a brain…and quite unfortunately, a conscience."

The she-knight chuckled, adding, "Bakura came up with this entire plan to break you out of here. It's a good thing he's such a narcissist or he never would have fooled Kaiba."

"Hey!" Bakura pouted.

Drearose giggled and kissed him briefly. "Relax. You're still my, as Kaiba put it, 'thief charming'."

The rogue rolled his eyes in pretend annoyance and kissed her cheek. Marik was looking back and forth at them. His lilac eyes were wide and amused.

"So it's true!" he exclaimed. "You two really are…" his voice trailed off when he saw the irritated glare on Bakura's face and the blush painted across the knight's.

"We're WHAT, midriff boy?" Bakura grumbled challengingly.

Marik hesitantly opened his mouth to answer…but Yami saved him the effort. "Can we finish this conversation later?" he asked with real impatience.

Drearose nodded. She knelt down, rolled over Kaiba's sleeping form, and grasped a small key hanging on a cord around his neck. She pulled on it, snapping the cord, and stood up. The girl unlocked the shackles clamped tightly around Yami's wrists. They clattered to the floor and she kicked them aside with distaste. Yami rubbed his wrists, nodding appreciatively.

The group of four sprinted through the door at the end of the passage and down another hall. This one was a little lighter with sunlight streaming through a few barred windows…but they weren't out of the fire yet. As they ran, a group of five soldiers came clanking out of a side door.

"Uh, Marik?" Bakura glanced at the man worriedly.

Marik gave a dismissive wave of the hand, not slowing his pace in the slightest. "Don't worry. My men will handle them."

They raced past another pair of doors, one on either side of the wall. Bakura glanced back over his shoulder…and raised his brows in surprise. Out of one of the doors…stepped the piercing-covered mime, Strings. The flabbergasted guards froze in their tracks. They stared in dumbfounded confusion. Strings did the usual "box" routine…and turned his head to glance through the opposite door. The men turned accordingly…and simultaneously let out cries of panic. Before they could otherwise react, the large, foreign-looking man Odion burst from the other door and slammed into them, knocking them down like bowling pins.

Bakura threw his head back and cackled.

Marik grinned. He turned to call back to his companions. "Well done Strings! You too, Odion!"

"Thank you, Master Marik!" Odion waved. "Good luck!"

Drearose was laughing as she ran. "I am so getting fired for this!"

The rogue gave her a sympathetic look…but was surprised to find that she did not look at all remorseful. Her eyes were sparkling, her mouth fixed in a determined line. She was following her heart….doing what she knew was right…and she was loving every moment of it.

They slammed through one more pair of doors into the courtyard. It was a large, square area made entirely of a light grey stone. Most of it was open and glistening with sunlight but there were covered areas held up by pillars. Those sections led mostly to wood doors connected to the castle or guard station…all except for one. Directly ahead of them…was the closed iron gate to the outer bridge…to freedom. That was their destination…and Bakura had no doubt that the legions of soldiers streaming out from every door and window would be quite the hindrance.

The four stopped in the middle of the square. Their backs pressed against each other as they stared around at the growing adversaries.

"Not good…" Yami muttered. His face was shadowed and grim.

Marik, however, smirked. "Surely you didn't think that Strings and Odion were the only ones I brought with me…" he said with a cocky grin.

Yami shot him a look of surprise…but before he could ask, the rest of the Torike Tavern crew appeared. They leapt from the roof, crawled through windows, and crashed through doors, pulling out weapons of various kinds. Bakura spotted Lumis, Umbra, Arcaina, and even a young man who looked similar to Yami with large purple eyes. He held a stave in his small hands that looked too big for him…but his face was hard with the courage and determination all the larger men possessed. They would stall for time…but it was only a matter of minutes before the army overwhelmed them.

Drearose grabbed Yami and Bakura by their wrists and dragged them over to the gates. The structure was black, hard, and foreboding… built to keep people in as well as out. She grasped a lever next to the inside of the gate and leaned all her weight into it. Her face twisted and she grunted with effort. The gates were heavy…but finally they creaked and lifted up off the ground just high enough for the trio to squeeze out.

The bridge lay ahead, seeming impossibly long as it stretched into the woods beyond. Waiting patiently a few feet ahead of them was a beautiful white stallion. It pawed at the ground and snorted with the restlessness of a swift and powerful steed. Its snowy coat looked almost as if it were glowing in the pallid morning light.

Yami's eyes went wide. He stared at Drearose questioningly. She gave a sheepish smile. "Well…if I don't get fired for that little stunt back there…I definitely will be for borrowing Kaiba's horse."

Bakura smirked and placed an arm around her shoulders. " 'Borrowing'?"

She sighed. "Fine…STEALING his horse…" she muttered and elbowed him in the ribs.

The rogue clutched his side and cringed with mock hurt…but Yami looked genuinely pained. He studied the girl, doubt and guilt plain in those piercing crimson eyes of his. "You have risked so much on my behalf…you could lose your life's work over this."

Drearose shook her head. She smiled with genuine warmth. "My job is to protect and serve my kingdom…not to make life easier for the over-literal sticks-in-the-mud who give me orders. Besides…" she leaned her head into Bakura's neck. "I've found that…being a knight is not the ONLY thing that makes my life worth living."

A flattered blush painted itself across the rogue's face. Never had he thought me meant quite THAT much to her. He planted a kiss on the girl's cheek. He then cleared his throat embarrassedly and turned his gaze back to his partner.

"Go," he ordered with a wolfish grin. "I have my lady…you must go find yours."

Yami stared at both of them for a long moment. Finally…he nodded. "Thank you…" he murmured before climbing onto the black saddle of the white charger. He took the reigns into his hands with surprising ease. Bakura hadn't realized he knew how to ride…and vaguely wondered how he had learned.

Yami's blood eyes narrowed piercingly at the road ahead of him. "Let's see how fast you can run…" he muttered and snapped the reigns. "Hyah!"

The horse rose to its hind legs. It let out an ear-shattering neigh before charging off down the bridge with incredible speed. Yami's black shirt whipped in the wind and his sharply-spiked hair glinted behind him like a crown. The rogue thought, with an amused smirk…that his friend, now more than ever…truly looked like a king.

Finally, the man and horse disappeared into the sea of green that was the forest. Drearose turned in Bakura's arms to glance backward at the fiasco unfolding in the courtyard. It seemed that the ruffians had done what they could to buy time…and were now escaping through the various precarious means they had come. The thief briefly noted Mark's platinum hair and copper skin vanishing over the wall. He nodded in satisfaction.

"Time to be someplace else?" Bakura tilted his head to one side.

Drearose glanced up at him and nodded swiftly. "Beyond…" she muttered and dragged him off toward the village.

They had done everything in their power to help Yami. Now…it was up to him…to find Tea.

**Whew…tough chapter XD. I hope you liked and please review ^_^! The next one is the last and it will probably be slow in coming too. **

**I DO NOT OWN YUGIOH OR TANGLED**


	16. Happy Endings and New Beginnings

**I DO NOT OWN YUGIOH OR TANGLED**

**Hiya ^_^! Time for the last chapter :)! I'm soooo sorry about the wait…I was offline for like four days and then the chapter ended up being over twenty pages long 0_o.**

**Infernoinside: Thanks :)! Yeah, I'm kinda sad too…**

**Sunrise Phoenix: Hahah thanks ^_^! I had so much fun writing Bakura in that chapter lol.**

**Sailorblaze: Haha Yami and Bakura to the rescue XD!**

**MutantEnemy101: Thanks :)! I had so much fun with 'Kura and Rose lol. Yeah, the end of Edward Scissorhands just tugs at my heartstrings…**

**Kender20: Hahah time for the ultimatum ^_^! Your story is really good BTW :).**

**Aqua girl 007: Thanks :)! Haha Marik and his midriff HAD to make a cameo XD.**

**Axalover11: Pharaoh to the rescue XD!**

**The Real Contestshipping Princess: Hahaha thanks ^_^! It's fine, I love long reviews :). Haha I felt bad that I had left Yugi out so I decided to give him a cameo. Yup, Marik's having a TON of fun at 'Kura's expense XD.**

**Coka Cookie Cola: Hahah Kaiba finally got what was coming to him: A good ol' frying pan to the head ^_^.**

**Sorceress of the Nile: Thank you ^_^! I had a ton of fun writing it. LOL frying pans FTW XD!**

**DarkAngelBattis: Heehee ride like the wind, Yami ^_^!**

**Darky2510: Hahaha GO YAMI XD! Aw, thanks so much! I've had sooo much fun writing this story and I thank you for reading ^_^.**

**Vampiressbeauty20: Haha tonight's there's gonna be a jailbreak! *takes bag* Thank you, I'll be CERTAIN to give it to her ;).**

**Yamiyugifan01: Thanks ^_^! Haha yup, that was indeed little Yugi :)! **

**X**

She had always been a prisoner. Deep down…she knew that. The only things that had been missing were the chains. Now, she had them…and no matter how hard Tea pulled and struggled, she could not squeeze her wrists from the iron shackles. She was chained like a dog to one of the support beams holding up the roof of the tower, her arms stretched uncomfortably behind her. A rough gag was tied over her mouth. It drowned out any cries that might have escaped her lips.

The tower had always seemed dark and claustrophobic…but now it seemed even worse than ever. Only one of the shutters to the window was open, leaving all but a vein of the room cast in shadow. Kuriboh was hiding in his usual spot by Tea's paints. He had started to come to her aid when her horrible kidnapper bound her…but she had given him a stern look, silently ordering him to remain concealed. If Chono had done this to her…there was no telling what she would do to a little puff ball creature.

Futilely, Tea gave the chains another tug. A metallic rattling sound pierced the silent air and pain shot through her wrists…but the movement otherwise had no effect. Anger and panic flared in her. Gritting her teeth against the fabric that bound her mouth, the girl turned her burning azure eyes toward her hated enemy.

Chono was standing behind the open shutter of the window, her back pressed against the wall. Tea could see her reasonably well from her current position…but she was otherwise hidden in the darkness. Her eyes glinted wickedly. The meager flashes of red remaining in her aging hair seemed like blood. One of her hands was buried in her cloak…away from view. Tea had no idea what the woman was up to…but she did not like it in the least.

Never, in all her life had the brunette felt true hatred…until now. Everything about this villain…the hag who had stolen eighteen years of her life…was absolutely abominable. Her face held no prettiness anymore. Even the glitzy, made-up face the girl had grown up with seemed hideous. However, nothing came close to being unsightly as her black heart. She had stolen a baby from her parents and kept her prisoner for some of the best years of her life. That same child was currently shackled like an animal to a wooden pole, her arms and hands rapidly growing black and blue. Nothing less than pure evil could do something like that.

A sadistic chuckle made Tea turn her eyes back to Chono. The woman's narrowed gaze was turned toward the window…and a smile nothing short of unpleasant twisted her lips. The girl cocked a brow in confusion. She had neither seen nor heard anything to elicit some new reaction…but then again, she was farther away from the window than her enemy was. Even if she was closer she doubted she'd be able to hear anything over the frantic beating of her own heart. Tea listened…and her blood froze in her veins at what she finally heard.

"Tea!" a low voice shouted from outside. "Are you up there?"

Yami…that smooth, wonderful voice…belonged to Yami. Tea's heart thudded like a jackhammer. She glanced back at Chono…and felt her stomach drop with horror. The woman smiled cruelly…and slowly pulled the hand she had concealed away from her cloak. Clutched between the sharp fingers…was a silver dagger. It shone like the fangs of some nightmarish beast in the shadows, foreboding…and just as dangerous.

Panicked, Tea whipped back toward the window. Yami's voice sounded again.

"Tea! Let down your hair!"

The brunette strove to answer through her gag…but she could not. Chono snickered again. She pushed away from the wall and grasped the end of Tea's hair. Deftly, she threw the hair out the window and ducked back into her hiding place.

Tea jerked her head urgently, trying to pull her locks back up…but it was no use. Her chest heaved frantically…and her eyes bugged in horror when she felt a slight tug. Yami was climbing her hair up the tower…right into a deadly trap.

The girl glanced around the room in desperate search for something, anything she could use to save her love. She saw darkness, plenty of darkness…Kuriboh's frightened eyes peaking out from her canvas…the glittering shards of shattered mirror scattered across the floor…but nothing of use. She was completely, utterly helpless.

Yami's form appeared on the window ledge…and Tea's heart lurched painfully. He looked just as handsome as ever. The muscles on his slim form were tense beneath the black tank top and pants. His pale skin seemed to glow with the backlighting of the sun, silhouetting him against the bright window. His tri-colored hair was sharp and dangerous-looking, his face, shadowed by the darkness of the room…but pierced by those incredible blood red eyes. The Pharaoh's expression, however, was different than she had ever seen it. It was wild…and frightened.

He swung his legs up to the ledge. Tea's body was frozen. She couldn't warn him in spite of her desperation to do so…and he wasn't currently looking at her. She could only stare in paralyzed dismay.

"Tea…I thought I'd never see you again!" Yami said breathlessly, still not seeing her as he swung his legs to the floor.

The sound of his voice…relieved…and vulnerable….snapped the brunette back to reality. She struggled in vain against her chains and screamed through the gag constricting her lips. The sound came out muffled…but its receiver heard it.

Yami's head snapped up…and he froze upon seeing her. His eyes went wide. His ebony eyebrows arched in shock. Tea had not often seen true surprise on the youth's face. He always seemed to possess a wisdom uncanny for his age and position in life. Now…it marred his chiseled features in its full, staggering voice. He had seen her…his mind was slowly registering the situation…but it was far, far too late.

Chono moved sharply from behind the open shudder so that she was positioned behind him. Tea gave another smothered cry. Yami's brows furrowed, his face briefly expressing confusion…before the expression…was replaced by another. His eyes squeezed shut, his teeth visibly bared in a hiss…a hiss… of pain. He staggered to the side and fell to his knees, clutching at a spot on his chest. Chono stood in the spot where he had been moments before. Her face was impassive…but her hand…clutched the dagger…which was now coated with the Pharaoh's blood.

Yami lay doubled over, blood dripping from his back and chest onto the floor. Apparently, the knife had passed all the way through him. His face was shadowed in his hunched over state…but she could see the pain and repressed panic on his face. This made the girl's stopped heart bounce back to life and terror.

Tea screamed again and sprang forward. Her body snapped backward from the chains, however, nearly pulling her shoulders out of their sockets. Nevertheless, she fought with desperation. She had to get to him…she couldn't let him die…not for her…not because she had been stupid enough to doubt him…and trust the woman…whom she had never truly trusted all her life.

Chono clucked her tongue and shook her head, as if scolding someone. Her glacial eyes held no compassion as she gestured to Yami with the blade, still dripping blood onto the floor.

"Now, just look at what you've done, Tea…" the woman sighed, as though Tea had been the one to stab him. She carelessly tossed aside the knife and casually sidled toward the beam to which Tea was bound.

Gasping, Yami dragged himself over to another support beam. This one was situated near the mirror Chono had previously broken. He leaned his back against it, eyes closed, and grasped at the wound. The shards of glass lying beneath him reflected black and red, making the entire scene even more grotesque.

Tea braced her feet against the floor. She strove to wrangle herself out of her shackles. Keeping her azure eyes locked on Yami helped to fuel her adrenaline. She needed every last bit of strength…every last bit of determination her small frame harbored.

Chono unfastened the chains from the beam and grasped them in both hands. "If you had just stayed here, hidden away from mankind…" she muttered. "…than your precious Pharaoh would still be alive." She shot him a look of hatred. Tea wasn't even surprised that Chono knew about Yami's past. She had a feeling…that SHE had been the one who had stolen the Flower of Horahkty all those millennia ago.

"Now, we are going somewhere FAR away…somewhere where NO ONE will EVER find you!"

The woman gave a mighty tug. Her prisoner lurched painfully backward. Even so, Tea bit back the pain of over-exerted muscles and iron-shackled bones. She yanked forward, engaging in a sort of tug-of-war with her hated "mother". The woman growled and gave another jerk. In spite of her aging appearance…she was still reasonably strong…but not strong enough to wrestle a struggling person only a bit smaller than herself without difficulty.

"Ugh…stop fighting me, Tea!" Chono hissed. Her eyes flared with irritation, her jaw clenched. She looked like a woman irritated that her obedient lap dog was not obeying. That made a whole new flare of anger ignite within the blue-eyed beauty. She was done being the lap dog…being the one under control…even though she was currently on a leash. She was going to take control…she was going to make the final decision…that would determine her life and Yami's.

Tea twisted her head backward. The rough gag finally slipped down around her neck, leaving her mouth free. She leapt forward again, landing on her knees on the ground and whipped around to face her captor. She kept her body braced firmly so that Chono could not pull her back until she heard her proposition.

"No!" she snarled. Tears of hatred sprung to her eyes…but she forced them to stay back. "I WON'T stop! Every second of every day I will fight you with every last bit of my strength!" Tea stared firmly at the woman. "However…if you let me heal him…then I will go with you willingly. I'll never try to run…I'll never try to fight…things will be exactly the way they were."

Chono's brows rose slightly. She studied the girl with obvious suspicion. Tea was sure to keep eye contact…to keep her voice firm and calm.

"Everything…" she murmured distinctly. "…will be EXACTLY the way you want it. I promise."

Those heartless eyes stayed locked with hers for a long moment. Tea knew that the woman was aware of her vow to keep promises. She had always thought the idea silly…that things changed. Of course…that had been her excuse. Her real reason was because her heart was as black as the night and held not a single trace of honor. However…Chono believed Tea's words…she knew that she wouldn't break a promise, no matter to whom that promise was made.

Silence fell in the dismal tower. Tea could barely hear Yami's ragged breathing over the pounding of her own heart. She prayed that her captor would hurry up and make a decision. Finally, Chono reached into a pocket in her dress and pulled out a small, rusty key. She knelt down, inserted the key into the lock around Tea's wrist, and unclasped the shackles.

"Make it fast…" the villain growled as her prisoner got to her feet, rubbing her bruised hands. "As soon as he's healed I'm chaining him up. He is NOT to follow us."

Tea swallowed hard. The thought of never seeing him again made her heart throb…but she forced the emotion back. She nodded, got to her feet, and scrambled over the glass-littered floor toward him.

Yami still lay against the beam, his hand resting over the exit wound on his chest. His body was heaving and shuddering…and what little color he had to begin with had drained from his face. His eyes were half-lidded. It seemed a struggle for him to keep them open.

"Yami!" The girl knelt over him, careful to avoid the large shards of glass as she did so. She had to fight to remain calm. Gently, she took his hand and slid it away from the wound. It was a bright splotch of red beneath the ebony fabric of his shirt. She decided not to examine it too closely for fear of getting sick. Normally, wounds like that would not have bothered her since she could heal them in a heartbeat…but seeing someone she loved dearly teetering on the edge of life and death…terrified her.

The Pharaoh coughed. His ebony eyelashes fluttered…and she could barely see the ruby irises peering out from underneath them. Quickly, Tea grasped her hair and began hauling it forward to wrap around him. Yami, however…reached up and let his clean hand rest on her shoulder.

"Tea…" he croaked, his voice barely audible. "You…can't…do this…"

Tea didn't look at him, continuing reeling in her locks. "I-It's okay…" she stammered, trying to keep the panic out of her voice. "It's gonna be okay…"

His grip tightened on her shoulder. The girl finally looked down at him…and he shook his head weakly. The movement was painful. He cringed, squeezing his eyes shut. "No…you can't…"

Biting her lip, Tea forced back the rebellious tears. She reached forward with trembling fingers, devoid of color, and carefully brushed the blonde bangs away from his face. The Pharaoh's eyes fluttered slightly open again. She stared into them, trying to memorize every last detail of their striking beauty.

"I can't let you die…" she whispered hoarsely.

Yami coughed again as he protested. "But…if you do this…then YOU will die…"

Tea smiled sadly. She lifted her hand and squeezed his lying against her collarbone. "Hey…" she whispered soothingly. "…it's gonna be okay."

She released him and turned to grab the rest of her hair…but he stopped her with one, barely audible word.

"Wait…"

Feeling the tears burn her eyes, she glanced back at him. Yami had forced his eyes open a little wider so that he could see her more clearly. His long fingers caressed the back of her neck, slowly moving upward to cup her cheek. His pale lips twisted into a small, loving smile. In spite of herself, Tea returned it.

The Pharaoh then craned himself so that he was sitting up higher. His bloody hand groped over the ground, probably to find an adequate spot to brace himself. The brunette accordingly, leaned down closer to him.

"Tea…" he murmured, the hand on her face pulling her even closer. His other hand stopped moving and grasped at something on the ground.

"Hmmm?" Tea said softly. Her azure eyes fought to stay open in the comfort of his caresses.

The young man was still for a long moment, seeming to take in everything about her. Finally…he croaked out… "I am sorry…"

The brunette was about to sleepily ask what he meant…when he did something that shocked her to her core. With a sharp movement faster and stronger than she would have thought him capable of, Yami slid his hand around to grasp the base of her hair. He brought the other hand up…and in it she saw a razor-sharp shard of glass. He brought the glass through her hair…cutting it…so that it now hung just above her shoulders. Yami then gave a shuddering gasp of pain and fell to the side, the shard, skittering out of his blood-stained hand.

Numb with shock, Tea could only fumble backward, feeling the now short hair for which she had always longed. "Yami, what…?" was all she could get out.

"NO!" Chono let out an agonized scream.

Tea didn't look at her…rather at the long rope of hair now lying on the floor. It glowed golden for a moment…before darkness consumed the once mystical substance, moving along it like a river. Chono grasped the locks in her arms, desperate to salvage anything she could…but the attempt was futile. The hair's power…was gone.

The woman dropped what had stood for her precious flower for so many millennia and stumbled backward. Tea's jaw dropped as she beheld a horrible, grotesque change. Chono's skin…became withered, emaciated. The bones in her face and limbs were prominent beneath the white, wrinkly covering. Her eyes sunk inward, lined by dark grey…and her bright red hair faded to snowy white. Shrieking in horror, Chono pulled the hood of her cloak over her face to hide its hideousness. Her fingers clutched at the fabric. They looked like skeleton appendages. The magic that had sustained her for so long…was gone…and she was literally experiencing the aging of five thousand years.

After what seemed like an eternity of hiding, Kuriboh sprang from his hiding place. Growling, he grabbed the hem of her cloak in his furry mouth and gave it a tug. Chono became hopelessly twisted in the fabric. She staggered backward…and tripped over the window sill, falling out of the tower. Her screams echoed in the air outside…until a sickening thud silenced her… forever.

Tea stared at the open window. Her heart felt frozen inside her chest. The woman who had imprisoned and abused her all her life…was dead. And of all the ways to die…she had fallen from the very tower in which she had trapped her prisoner. Irony truly was a staggering creature…

The girl gasped. She realized for the first time that she hadn't breathed since Yami had cut her hair. Yami…. Tea drew in a sharp breath and turned frantically to him. He was lying on the ground, his eyes…closed. Scrambling toward him, she slid her hand beneath his shoulders, cradling him.

"Oh…no. no, no, no…Yami!" Tea stammered with panic, seeing the blood still staining his chest. "No…!" she grasped his weak, pale hand and pressed it to her head. "J-just wait, I'll dance...!"

Tears stung her eyes as she started to get to her feet. No…her power couldn't be gone…that cursed power…not when she needed it most. The Pharaoh, however, firmly grasped her shoulder with his free hand.

"Tea…" he whispered through nearly motionless lips.

A sob shook Tea's already trembling form. She stopped struggling and stared tearfully down at him. "What…?"

The Pharaoh's hand reached up and gently traced her quivering lips. His eyelids drooped lower and lower. "You…are what I was looking for…" he murmured. "You…were the beginning of my life…"

The brunette smiled bitterly down at him. She took the hand from her lips and pressed it against her face, saying, "And…and you were the beginning of mine…"

Yami's thumb gently brushed at the trail of tears on her cheek. His lips twisted into a small smile…and his eyes slowly closed. Tea gasped. "No…please no…" but his hand…went cold…and limp in hers.

Tea blinked in waxing horror. She waited for him to take another labored breath…for his crimson eyes to ease open…but he did neither. His face was pale…tranquil…and still. His body…was heavy in her arms. He was gone.

The girl lifted a hand and traced the outline of his face. She felt…numb. She couldn't quite believe what she was seeing…though the truth was staring her right in the face. It was as if she was in a nightmare…and would wake up at any moment. Tea looked up…saw the bloody knife lying on the ground near the window…Kuriboh's stunned face gawking at her…her yards of severed hair lying everywhere…and she knew. It was not a dream. This cold, grotesque reality…was far too real.

Finally, Tea wept bitterly, holding Yami's body against her like a broken doll. She cradled his head, leaning her forehead against his. Tears dripped from her lashes onto his cold cheek. She prayed wildly that those beautiful eyes would open again…but they remained closed.

Aside from the intense grief…she felt so utterly stupid. All her life she had been hiding from the darkness of the world…when all along she had been living, putting her trust in that darkness. Chono had taken everything from her…her life…her freedom…and now her love. The girl hated her…hated those Paradox brothers who had helped her…and most of all, hated the power that had once been her curse to bear.

"The one time I needed it…" she sobbed, further tightening her hold on Yami's body. "…and it's gone. The flower…is gone…"

Kuriboh toddled over to her and snuggled up against her legs. He was striving to comfort her…but nothing could do that. She didn't look at him…didn't move…didn't open her eyes…until a strange warmth from behind caught her attention.

Tea slowly raised her head. She glanced back over her shoulder, blinking her sore eyes…and felt her breath catch. Behind her…floating stationary in the dark, cool air of the tower…was an odd symbol. It looked rather like a cross with a loop on the top. It glowed bright gold and white, emitting a warmth laced with incredible power. Tea squinted in confusion. She knew she had seen that insignia before…in one of her books on ancient civilizations perhaps…an ankh! That was it! It was an ancient Egyptian ankh!

The girl's eyes widened…and as if her thoughts had broken some sort of seal, the ankh exploded into a brilliant display of dancing lights. They swirled and flashed in iridescent golds, whites, and cerulean blues. They swirled around her, blowing her now-short hair in a brilliant wind storm and converging into one mighty force. Tea finally had to close her eyes to keep from being blinded. She heard Kuriboh squeak in fright and felt him bury his face in the hem of her dress.

After what seemed like an eternity…the wind and piercing brightness faded. Tea hesitated…but slowly allowed her azure eyes to flutter open. What she saw…knocked the air from her lungs. She held Yami's form protectively, shrinking away from the incredible being that now stood before her.

The being…she couldn't quite call it a person…had a female form that glowed with bright, shimmering light. She was the size of a human woman…but it was obvious she had chosen that size for the moment and was truly much larger, flowing with power. Her skin was a pale blue that sparkled. Her piercing cerulean eyes were lined with black paint that looked similar to Marik's.

She had a slender form clothed in a flowing white dress…but she did not at all radiate feminine softness. Her upper torso was clad in thick, gold armor that was layered rather like the scales of some mighty reptilian beast. On her head she wore a gold helmet that completely concealed her hair, if she had any. The helmet was shaped into the form of a divine dragon's head with eyes that glowed like rubies. The front stretched out a few inches in front of her face into the shape of an eagle's beak, tipped with dagger-like teeth. In the center of the helmet, as well as on the armor's chest and shoulder plates, were large, turquoise orbs that glowed with their own unique force. Lastly…stretching out from the creature's back…were a pair of gold-feathered wings. Light poured from those wings, making the entire tower glow as bright as the sun.

Tea's heart was frozen, in spite of the desert-like warmth wafting through the room. She stared in awe at her visitor. She opened her mouth to say something…but no words came out. Kuriboh was trembling, leaning as far as possible into her legs.

The creature's silvery lips twisted into a gentle smile. "Do not be afraid…" she said in a smooth, musical voice. "…I am Horahkty, the Creator of Light."

The girl swallowed hard. Her brain seemed to be paralyzed. She couldn't quite process what she was seeing.

Horahkty gave another reassuring smile, tilting her head to one side. "It is my power that has flowed through your veins…or rather your HAIR for all these years. It has been more of a curse to you than a gift. For that I am sorry."

Tea gulped again. The gears in her mind were finally beginning to turn…and another wave of grief washed over her. She looked down at Yami's pale face again. "You're the one who punished the Pharaoh…" she whispered.

"Indeed…" Horahkty replied firmly. "It was not an act I enjoyed commencing…but someone had to pay the price for unleashing such a greed-producing power upon mankind. He was taken from his home and time and placed in an unfamiliar civilization five-thousand years later. He had nothing except language…"

"…yet he had to complete some task that was never clearly revealed," Tea completed. She found that she didn't care of the heavenly being took offense from her brazenness. She was beyond caring about something so trivial.

The Creator of Light, however, simply nodded. "That was part of his trial…to determine how he was meant to atone for his actions. He never understood the meaning of that task…even moments ago, when he finally completed it."

Tea gasped. "What…what do you mean…?" she squeaked.

"Atem's crime…was bringing the Flower of Horahkty into this world. The only way he could undo his actions…was by REMOVING the Flower from this world. He did exactly that when he cut your hair."

The brunette's mouth dropped open. She never would have thought of it that way…

"Furthermore…" Horahkty continued with a smile. "…Atem did this unknowingly, for the RIGHT reasons. He did it to protect someone he loved, not for his own desire to be released from his burden. The Gods, including myself…are pleased with him."

Tea smiled…but the look faded just as quickly as it had come. She looked down at her love and bit her lip. "Too bad…Chono murdered him…before he had the chance to enjoy his freedom…" she whispered, tears welling in her eyes.

Horahkty was silent for several moments and Tea did not look at her. Finally, she murmured, "Chono will be dealt with harshly by Anubis for her evil. As for Atem…" the girl heard a smile creeping into the goddess's voice. "…he has done far more than we expected of him. I think…that we, the Gods of Egypt…owe HIM now."

Tea blinked. She looked up in confusion…and saw the being's face illuminated with a radiant smile. Slowly, Horahkty reached forward…and lightly touched Yami's chest with a single, blue finger. She then recoiled and resumed her stoic demeanor.

"Thank you, Princess Tea, of Riazlora…" she smiled gently. "…and you as well, Kuriboh." Kuriboh's fur turned darker with a blush. "I sincerely wish you and Atem well."

With that…Horahkty's massive wings folded in front of her…and she vanished into thin air, as if…she had never been there. Tea's heart pounded. She could hardly believe what she had just seen. Then…it dawned on her what Horahkty had said. "I wish you and Atem well"….

The girl gasped. She looked down at Atem…and her eyes lit up with wonder. There…hovering over his chest…was another glowing ankh. It floated for a moment before gently sinking down onto his torso. The insignia dissipated into warm, golden light, spreading over his black-clad chest to the cold, pallid skin. His entire body shimmered for a moment…and gradually faded.

Tea blinked, staring in disbelief. She glanced at the place where the stab wound had been…and her heart jolted. It was gone. Not even a rip in the fabric remained. The only evidence it had been there was the blood on the floor and dagger.

Yami's form lay still for a heart-stopping few seconds. Then…he coughed. His chest heaved up and down with startled breaths…and his ruby eyes…eased open. Tea drew in a sharp breath. Her eyes went wide…and her heart nearly stopped. It wasn't possible…was it…?

Yami groaned. His head turned on its support, her arm…and he peered up at her. His eyes were sleepy…but they were open…and alive, nonetheless.

"Ugh…Tea…?" he croaked, in that deep, wonderful voice….the voice…she had thought she would never hear again.

"Y…Yami…?" Tea whispered. She didn't move. She was afraid that he would vanish like a bubble did when it was touched by a finger if she made the slightest jerk.

The Pharaoh stared into her burning azure eyes. He blinked…and arched a single brow, his lips…twisting into that smirk she loved so much. "I like the new haircut…" he said with a chuckle, reaching up and brushing a stray strand behind her ear.

That was all Tea needed to convince her that he was really, truly there. "Yami!" she cried and flung her arms around his neck.

Yami sat up, bracing both of them with one hand and cradling her with the other. Tea sobbed into his shoulder and he ran his hand up and down her back. He leaned his cheek against hers, assuring her that everything was all right.

The brunette only clutched him tighter. Eventually, she pulled back slightly, keeping her arms wrapped around his neck. Yami stared into her half lidded-eyes. His began to droop as well…and the blood irises slowly wandered to her mouth. That was all the incentive Tea needed to clash her lips against his. The Pharaoh seemed a little surprised at first…but eagerly responded to the kiss. It was sweet and gentle with a healthy dose of fire…just like him. Tea broke away. She pressed her forehead against his, both of them panting.

"Don't…don't mess with me…" she growled, gulping in air. Her azure orbs clashed with his blazing ruby gems. "…you're really here?"

Yami leaned his back against the support beam, his fingers, tangling into her short hair. "I'm here…" he said. "…and I don't EVER plan on leaving again…"

The sun shone through the tower window on both of them. Tea grinned. The Pharaoh grinned back and pulled her in for another kiss, this one, even more passionate than the first.

X

He never would have anticipated an ending like this. Being hanged for a few petty crimes? Sure. Starving to death on the streets? Definitely. Being murdered by a gang of backwater thugs? Quite probable. But this? Standing in the sun with the love of his life in his arms? Yami could hardly believe it.

He and Tea were leaning against the marble railing of a large balcony connected to the throne room. It was an elegant area, floored with grey concrete slabs that twisted and curved into the Riazlorean sun symbol. There were several pots filled with brightly-colored flowers scattered about as well. They lined the railing and hung in baskets over the glass doors leading into the castle's interior. Blue curtains hung in those windows, preventing any view inside…but that was not a problem. Anyone relaxing on the balcony had a perfectly amazing view of the town below to keep them occupied.

The sun shone down on the pleasant, simple buildings, making the tan bricks seem almost golden. Bright flowers and purple flags stood out magnificently on the streets, as well as the cheerily-dressed people wandering through them. Looking out to the side, the Pharaoh could see that long bridge into the forest. He was sure he didn't want to enter that sea of green again for a long, LONG time.

Sighing contentedly, Yami leaned his cheek against Tea's head. She was snuggled against his chest, her head pressed against his collarbone, her arms, wrapped tightly around his waist. Ever since she had gotten him back from the world of the deceased…she had not wanted to let him go. The girl had explained to him everything that happened. He didn't remember any of it and might not have believed her…but he did recall the knife…the sharp pain as it pierced through his back. That had certainly been real…and he had definitely died because of it.

He let his arms tighten around Tea. He was so grateful to her. After so long…she had set him free. She had given him the beginning of his life…and she had released him from the terrible burden of his unknown task of atonement. He still could hardly believe that the Gods had finally absolved him…or that they had let him come back.

Yami was also stunned that his past had come back to haunt him. Chono had been the one to ruin his life five-thousand years ago…and she had very nearly destroyed Tea's. But she was gone now. When he and the girl left the tower…she had been nothing but a pile of desert sand beneath her dark cloak. She had quite literally…disintegrated into the sands of time.

Now…there was one last task that lay ahead of him…Tea's past. She, he now knew, was the lost princess of Riazlora. It was so obvious now, he wanted to smack himself upside the head with a frying pan for not noticing it before. They had left the tower and found Drearose and Bakura hiding out in the city. They had then gone to the castle…and here they were, waiting…for the true judges of Tea's identity to appear.

Yami could feel the tension, the anticipation in her body. Her heart pounded. Her fingers tightly grasped at the fabric on his back. She was excited…but she was also incredible nervous. He supposed he would be too, if he was in her position. Gently, he tilted her chin with his fingers and pressed his lips against hers in a comforting kiss. She relaxed a little….but not much.

The sound of doors opening behind them made the two spring away from each other. Tea took a deep, shuddering breath. Her shoulders were painfully tense. She kept her back to the doors for a long moment, eyes wide, as if afraid to see what was coming through them. Her frightened azure eyes met his. Yami gave her an encouraging smile and stepped backward a little ways so that the reunited family could have some space.

Finally, she turned…and so did the Pharaoh. Stepping cautiously out of the glass doors…were the king and queen. They were both older individuals but possessed a regal beauty about them. The king, wearing an elegant blue robe and sapphire-encrusted gold crown that brought out his eyes, seemed like a firm but just, gentle man. The queen, almost the spitting image of Tea aside from her longer hair and silver-tinted eyes, was beautiful and had a quiet feistiness in her stance. Both individuals, however…were slightly darkened with grief…the grief of losing their only child.

The two royals stepped from the doorway and onto the balcony. The queen's eyes wandered for a moment…and froze on her daughter. The color drained from her face…and her lips parted slightly.

The king, on the other hand, kept his gaze locked on Yami. It was pale…and somewhat vulnerable, as if he were afraid to pass the point of no return…only to have his heart shattered in the end. The Pharaoh gave a small smile and nodded. Swallowing visibly, the ruler finally turned…and actually flinched when he saw the girl only a few feet away from them.

Tea was staring too, eyes wide, lips…parted…but unspeaking. She looked like the younger copy of her mother with her current expression. Hesitantly, the queen made her way forward. Her eyes never left Tea's…unblinking. She seemed to fear that the girl would vanish into thin air if she lost sight of her again.

When the queen was within a foot of her daughter…she slowly reached out with a trembling hand. Yami thought he could actually see the rest of her body shaking in the elegant silver and dark purple dress she wore. The brunette was still as a statue while her mother's gentle fingers carefully combed through her short hair. The woman's hand then cupped her cheek. Tea closed her eyes…and a shaky smile turned up the corners of her lips. She leaned into the loving touch, pressing her mother's hand with hers.

Yami's heart ached in the bittersweet moment. It was quite obvious that the girl had never felt true motherly affection from Chono. It brought tears to her eyes and nearly to his. Laughing tearfully, the queen pulled her daughter into a tight embrace. Tea clung to her like a little child, laughing and crying accordingly. After a few moments, her red-rimmed eyes peeked up from the woman's shoulder…and smiled at her father.

This display finally brought the king out of whatever shocked stupor was encompassing his mind. Smiling widely, he strode forward and put his strong arms around both women. He buried his face in his little girl's hair, smiling and weeping as he did so. The family then sunk down to the warm, stone ground, still holding each other. They had been broken up for so many years. Now they were together again…and nothing would tear them apart.

The Pharaoh grinned at the joyous reunion. He glanced down at Kuriboh huddled against his ankles. The puff ball's large eyes were watery and smiling. Patting him on the head, Yami turned to leave. He didn't belong in this moment. They were finally a family again. Who was he to intrude?

"Wait…"

A voice made him freeze in his tracks. Yami glanced over his shoulder…and saw the queen looking at him, still encompassed in her husband and daughter's arms. She sniffed and smiled at him.

"Where are you going?"

The Pharaoh gave a sheepish smile and averted her gaze. "You are finally together…" he said softly. "I was going to leave you alone in your family reunion."

"But we can't have a family reunion without you," she replied.

Yami stared blankly, tilting his head to one side in confusion.

The queen's smile widened. She glanced at her daughter…back at him…and he saw a sparkle of that fiery nature enter her eyes. She reached her hand out toward him. "YOU are part of our family now," she beamed. "I want you to stay with us."

The Pharaoh stood, paralyzed on the spot. Family…the word felt so foreign in his mind. He hadn't had a family for five thousand years…and even then he had lost most of them to war, desolation, and disease. Family….

Fingers trembling, Yami walked forward a few cautious steps. He stretched his hand out…and gasped as the queen's clasped it. With a wide grin, she then pulled him into the group embrace. He stumbled and felt his cheeks grow hot with a blush.

Tea laughed. She twisted around so that she could wrap her arms around him. Yami chuckled and buried his face in her neck, breathing in her sweet, peachy scent. The queen was right. This was where he belonged. This…was his family.

Never…had Yami imagined things could feel this right. Never…had he thought…he would have such a happy ending.

X

Bakura had never been a sentimental individual. Truthfully, he hadn't been close enough to anyone to find himself in any emotional circumstance. However…as he stood outside the guardhouse with Drearose, listening to the guards a few feet away talking of the royal family reunion…he could feel his firm heart softening more and more by the minute.

The thief and knight had been hiding out in the village, waiting for the craziness to die down, when Yami and Tea found them. They had explained the situation to them…and to say Bakura and Drearose were shocked was an understatement. The she-knight hadn't even believed it at first. But when all the mysterious facts and figures were laid out in front of her…she had slowly realized how strikingly the pieces of Tea and the lost princess's past fit together. They had had quite a time keeping Captain Kaiba from arresting them on the spot…but when he saw the brunette, he immediately recognized the younger face of his sovereign, the queen, and bustled them off without so much as an explanation. Now, the remaining adventurers were standing idly outside the stone walls of the guardhouse…waiting.

The place looked quite different in the daytime. The small, dilapidated docking area was not quite so foreboding. The green-blue water lapped against the sopping wood. Small vessels tethered to the support poles bobbed up and down, waiting for their owners to board them. Relieved by a gentle, cool breeze, the sun shone down, making the water as well as the pristine castle walls sparkle. The dark brick building that made up the prison still stuck out like a sore thumb against the snow-colored structure to which it was attached, but it was no longer so…dismal-looking. Perhaps it was because Bakura was not staring at the eerie glow of lanterns through the barred windows at night…or perhaps it was because Yami was no longer being held prisoner within those walls.

The rogue stretched and leaned his back against a wall. He crossed his arms over his chest, thinking. He wasn't sure which was worse…fleeing for his and his girlfriend's life in the village…or waiting next to the dungeon for their final judgment. They had taken a risk of colossal measure in coming here…but they knew it was the right thing to do. They couldn't remain outlaws forever. His piercing eyes wandered to Drearose. She seemed to be having the same troubling thoughts he was.

The girl was pacing back and forth over the stone walkway. She had her arms wrapped tightly around her abdomen, hugging herself. She kept her head bent, her hair, masking her face…but he could still make out the stressed firmness in her jaw through her golden locks. She was just as anxious, if not, more so than he was. After all…her job…as well as her life probably depended on this final, harebrained gamble.

An iron clanging sound made Bakura start away from the wall in surprise. Drearose froze in her tracks. She whipped around toward the source of the noise. The guards a little ways away ceased their conversation and stood rigid at attention. It took the thief a moment to discern what was making the sound. Finally, his eyes focused on the guardhouse doors. They were rattling. Someone on the inside was unlocking the doors, preparing to emerge…and he had a feeling he knew exactly who it was.

The doors opened slowly…and Seto Kaiba himself stepped out. Immediately, Drearose's back grew tense and she jerked upright as the other soldiers had done. Bakura glanced at her…then at Kaiba…and had to shield his eyes. The man's blue-white armor was glinting so brightly in the sunlight that it nearly blinded him. Cupping a hand over his eyes, however…the thief thought he saw something peculiar. Perhaps it was only an effect of the intense glare…but he thought that the captain…looked frazzled. His eyes were wide, his mouth open slightly, as though he had just seen something he could hardly believe. He probably had. After all…it was not every day one was presented with the princess of a kingdom who had been lost for eighteen years.

Straightening his shoulders, Kaiba turned toward his men. The ruffled look disappeared as quickly as it had come, replaced by his usual impassive expression. He nodded at the soldiers. Then…he slowly turned…and fixed his iron-hard gaze on Drearose.

The girl tensed visibly but did not back down. Kaiba stared her down for a long moment. It was almost as if….he were seeing her for the first time. His piercing azure eyes assessed her up and down…and finally…he nodded, seemingly to himself. With long, purposeful strides, he made his way toward his outcast soldier and stopped a few feet away from her. Bakura almost went to stand protectively at the blonde's side…but decided against it. Instead, he resumed his leaning position against the wall…and watched.

Drearose jerked her shoulders back and saluted. "Sir!"

The captain nodded. He motioned for her to be at ease. Then…the man folded his arms over his chest, tilted his chin downward slightly…and resumed his unnerving stare down. Drearose tilted her head, gazing right back at him with confusion. When it became clear that he was not going to speak first…she cleared her throat.

"Captain…" she began. "…I believe you have found that we have indeed brought you the lost Princess of Riazlora. Her kidnapper has been dealt with and her crown has been returned to the castle." Her voice was strong and firm. Bakura felt another surge of admiration for the girl. In spite of the fear he knew was shadowing her heart…she remained courageous.

Kaiba still said nothing. His eyes never left those of his soldier's.

Drearose held his gaze for another lengthy pause. Finally…her inner tolerance crumbled. She hung her head, biting her lip as the nervousness crept onto her pretty features.

"I hope…you will take these facts into account…while deciding our fate…" she murmured. Her hands began to tremble and she clutched the hem of her dress to stop them.

Bakura's fingers dug into the dark blue fabric of his sleeves. He was beginning to have an urge to throttle the man if he made them wait in agonizing suspense much longer. After what seemed like an eternity…Kaiba opened his mouth to speak.

"You disobeyed my direct orders…" he started in that hard, relentless voice. "…you assaulted fellow soldiers…you stole the keys to the prison…you set free a fugitive condemned to death… In doing all these things, you have more than committed high treason against the crown."

Bakura growled. He moved sharply to cut off the man…but a subtle hand gesture from Drearose made him stop. Gritting his teeth, he leaned back into the wall and did not interrupt.

Kaiba stared relentlessly for another pause…and suddenly…his expression softened. Bakura raised his brows. The look was so shocking, so alien on the man's features…he briefly wondered if he was hallucinating.

The captain continued, "However….you also sensed something was wrong…chose to listen to your soldier's intuition rather than the prattling of those around you…refused to give up in spite of the circumstances…and came back because you knew it was the right thing to do. In doing so…you returned the lost princess to us, dispatched three of the most wanted criminals of Riazlora…and saved an innocent man from the gallows."

He uncrossed his arms and turned his head, staring contemplatively out at the glittering water. Drearose was gawking at him in shock. Her mouth opened…but no words came out. Bakura was a little stunned himself, though, he did not show it.

When the she-knight at last found her voice, it quavered with astonishment. "So…your verdict for all of this…?"

Kaiba was silent for a moment. Then, without looking at her, he started, "My brother is of the age to begin his squire training. He is very eager to do so…but I cannot seem to find the right teacher."

The she-knight's brows furrowed in confusion. She waited patiently for him to continue.

"I would do it myself, you see…but I find that Mokuba has a tendency to do everything simply to please ME. While I am his captain and he should obey me…his mind should be focused on the main interest of his sovereigns, NOT his commanding officer. He needs to learn under someone who can teach him to follow his OWN instincts rather than always placing blind faith in those around him.

"I see…" Drearose murmured.

The captain finally turned to look at her. "Do you?" he asked…and the corners of his mouth twitched slightly. "I think…that YOU would be the perfect teacher for him seeing as you've put the lesson I want him to learn into practice time and time again. Of course…you would be paid for your troubles. What do you say?"

The girl's eyes widened. Bakura grinned. She opened her mouth…closed it…opened it again…and finally found her words. "O…of course, C-Captain Kaiba!" she stammered. "I would be honored!"

"Good," Kaiba nodded briskly.

He turned and started to walk back toward the guardhouse. Then…he stopped and glanced back over his shoulder. The thief thought he actually saw a small smile on the man's lips. "Thank you, soldier," he muttered with genuine sincerity before returning to his duties.

Drearose stood motionless for a long moment. Shock was clearly written across her face. When the reality finally sunk in…she gave a shout of joy and twirled in place. Her eyes glittered with happy tears, her mouth, beamed brighter than the thief had ever seen. Clearly…she had just had a longtime dream…fulfilled.

Bakura watched her in her revelry for a few seconds. She was so happy…so free of trouble and bad reputation. He, he thought…would only get her into hot water again. He couldn't do that to her…not after all she had done for him. Silently, Bakura pushed away from the wall. With cat-like movements, he started to creep away. Drearose's voice, however, froze him in place.

"Hey! Where are you going?" she inquired, running over to stand beside him.

Bakura hung his head. He didn't look her in the eye. "You've finally attained your dream, Rosie…" he said quietly. "…your life has truly begun. I…a lowly thief…have no business being here."

Drearose furrowed her brows at him, placing her hands on her hips. "What are you talking about?"

The rogue gritted his teeth. Why did she have to make this harder to say than it already was? He forced himself to meet her gaze. His lips twisted into an attempt at a smile…but the look did not reach his eyes.

"Your place is here, blondie…" he murmured, trying to lighten the moment with his old nickname for her. "…your destiny is here. This is the path you are meant to take. I…I will only get you into trouble…and I couldn't bear taking your dream away from you. I…love you too much for that…"

He dropped his head again, praying that she wouldn't ask anything more. He couldn't bear to answer her. Drearose was silent for several agonizing moments. Then…she stepped forward…and placed her hand on Bakura's cheek. She turned his head to look at her…and he saw sheer determination in her jade eyes.

"This is the path I'm supposed to take?" she asked. "A path without you? Well…" she smirked and gave him a crooked grin. "…if THAT'S the case, then I'm going to go down a different route."

Bakura stared at her incredulously. "But…but you…"

She placed a finger over his lips. "Not 'buts'. The future isn't set in stone, Bakura. Everyone may see it differently. You think that you will be in the way of things if you remain here…while I think that I can't face what's yet to come without you by my side."

The she-knight wrapped her arms around his neck. She leaned her forehead against his. "You began my life, Bakura…" she whispered. "…and I'd very much like you to be there…to see how it unfolds."

The thief's heart was pounding and aching with bittersweet emotion at the same time. He snaked his arms around her waist, pulling her even closer to him. She was right. He wasn't sure how he would get along if she was not there with him. She had begun his life as he had begun hers.

"Well then…" he said, a wolfish smile creeping onto his face. "…I guess now…it's time for OUR life…to begin."

Drearose grinned and started to say something, but he closed her mouth with a searing kiss. Throughout the moment of passion, Bakura could swear that he felt the sting of unshed tears behind his eyelids. Perhaps…he was becoming a sentimental being after all.

X

_"And so…" Yami said, smiling down at his wide-eyed daughter. "…Princess Tea was finally reunited with her family…and Pharaoh Atem, now known as Yami…finally gained the life he had missed so dearly."_

_ Tea smiled, leaning her head against her husband's shoulder. She had kept the short hairstyle all these years…and had become an even more amazing dancer because of it. Eyes still round, Liora stared out at the balcony of the beautiful room. The sunlight reflected in those sapphire orbs…and for a moment…Yami saw the face of his wife those many years ago. That child-like face…bright with curiosity and a hunger for adventure. He was only thankful that his child did not have the dark shadows deep in her eyes…the markings of some deep, mysterious burden that Tea had born for so long. _

_ The echoing of footsteps in the marble hallway made all three family members turn toward the door. Striding boldly through the doorway….Bakura appeared in the room. He looked very much the same as he had years before…same long, white, shaggy hair…same piercing chocolate eyes…same sarcastic smirk and rough, accented voice. He was, of course, grown up now…but there was something else about him…a happiness that had not been there before as a lonely thief. When he wasn't ribbing someone…his smile held true warmth. Of course, at the moment, that was not apparent…for the ex-thief was grinning devilishly from ear to ear._

_ "What's up, 'Your Highness'?" he smirked at Yami, just like always._

_ Yami rolled his eyes and gave a wry, lopsided grin. "Been to bother Kaiba yet today, Bakura?"_

_ Bakura gave a long, exaggerated sigh as he strode toward the trio on the bed. He shrugged his shoulders, saying, "I was going to, but I'm afraid I just could not fit it into my busy schedule…I was really looking forward to it too so that I could show off my 'fancy clothes'…" he gestured to the said articles._

_ The Pharaoh smirked, taking in his companion's attire. Since he was living in the castle now and working at odd jobs rather than thieving, he had procured a reasonable income. This allowed him to purchase his clothing rather than stealing it. At the moment, he was wearing a long-sleeved white cotton shirt, beige pants, and black boots. In spite of his long hair…he looked quite clean cut._

_ The rogue sauntered over and ruffled Liora's unruly hair. She giggled, playfully pushing at his hand. She scrambled off of Yami's lap and hid behind his back, her bright eyes, peering out from behind him._

_ "Gonna play like that, huh?" the former thief grinned. "Well, you forget, little one…I used to be a thief…I am the MASTER of stealth…"_

_ Bakura got down onto the floor at the bed's base. He began to move like a snake on his belly, creeping over to the side of the bed. Not seeing him, Liora cautiously looked out from behind her father. She peered around. Then…she made her way over to the edge of the bed…and squealed in surprise when Bakura leapt up. He grabbed her in his arms and paraded her around the room, grinning as she laughed._

_ Tea giggled, wrapping her arms around her husband's waist. Yami put an arm around her and dropped a chaste kiss on her head. He watched his friend and daughter playing…and could not help the touched smile that twisted his lips. Never had he thought things would end like this…never in five millennia._

_ Panting with exhaustion, Bakura finally collapsed into a plush chair in a small sitting area of the bedroom, Liora on his lap. He twirled a lock of red and black hair on his finger and chuckled as she gave him a mock glare._

_ "You're good with kids, Bakura," Tea smiled at him. "You should have one of your own!"_

_ The ex-thief's playful grin widened. "Well, now that you mention it…we…"_

_ More footsteps sounded in the hall. Moments later, Drearose stepped into the room. Her hair was still as stunningly golden…her eyes…just as green. She was wearing a soft white cotton dress that looked lovely with her fair skin._

_ Yami gave a friendly nod to the woman. She had had much better fortune with her job over the years. Having gained the respect of her captain…she had finally made some progress. In addition, the other soldiers were made to treat her as an equal under pain of Kaiba's extreme displeasure. _

_ Drearose smiled at the family. "Good morning, Majesties…" she greeted cheerfully. She then strolled over to the chair where Bakura sat and placed her hand on the arm, leaning into it._

_ "So what have you been up to this morning, Rosie?" Tea inquired, getting off the bed to her feet._

_ The blonde smirked. "Mainly…dealing with Bakura. He finally got them to tell him who it was that kept messing up his mug shot on the Wanted posters all those years ago…some guy called Weevil Underwood. Honestly, I don't know why they hired him…he had no interest in drawing people. He likes…bugs…but anyway, Bakura found him and chased him all over the courtyard with a frying pan. I watched for a few minutes before going to the poor guy's aid. They finally fired him and gave Bakura his position."_

_ Yami's eyebrows arched. "Really?"_

_ Bakura grinned, saying, "Indeed. You see, as a thief…I've seen many different types of people and I almost never forget a face. Who better to draw Wanted criminals than someone who has probably met them before?" Liora squirmed to get off his lap and he paused as she did so. Leaning with his elbows on his knees, he then inquired, "So what have you three been up to this morning?"_

_ Tea lifted her daughter into her arms. Propping the girl on her hip, she replied, "Oh, we were just telling Liora a story…OUR story actually."_

_ Drearose chuckled. "Really? I bet that was interesting…"_

_ "Oh!" Liora nearly jumped out of Tea's arms with the exclamation. "I almost forgot!" she looked at the knight and thief, grinning widely. "Bakura and Drearose got married too?"_

_ Bakura chuckled at this. He reached his arms around the she-knight's waist and pulled her over the chair onto his lap. Drearose rolled her eyes but settled contentedly back into his arms._

_ "Well, we traveled and had a few little adventures all our own for a while…" she murmured. "But after years and YEARS of asking…"_

_ "…I finally said yes," Bakura cut in, grinning wolfishly._

_ Drearose smirked. She elbowed him in the ribs. "Bakura…."_

_ "Okay, okay fine…" the rogue laughed aloud. "…I asked her." He kissed her cheek. "…and corny as it may sound…we've been living happily ever after ever since…all of us have."_

_ A contemplative silence followed this simple yet astoundingly profound statement. It truly had been just like a fairytale. Once upon a time, Tea had been a lonely girl imprisoned in a tower…once upon a time, Yami had been a reborn Egyptian Pharaoh, plagued with a sentence of atonement from the Gods…once upon a time Bakura had been a work-alone thief, fighting for his life on a daily basis…and once upon a time, Drearose had been a determined young soldier, struggling for the approval of her fellow officers. They had had their grand adventure…and now had their happy ending. But then again…maybe this wasn't the happy ending. Maybe…this was the beginning…the beginning of their real lives…and the true odyssey was yet to come._

_ Yami's crimson eyes flicked toward his wife. The brunette was gazing right back at him. Her azure eyes sparkled, as if she had been thinking the exact same thing. Liora had her head against her mother's shoulder, gaze distant with thoughts of magic, heroes, and adventure._

_ Glancing back at Drearose, Tea asked, "So, how are things going with Mokuba?"_

_ "Very well," the she knight smiled fondly, sitting forward on her husband's lap. "He has become a fine young knight. His brother is very pleased. He's going to take my place on the squad for awhile because…." A deep crimson blush colored her cheeks. She unclasped her hand from Bakura's…and gingerly placed it on her stomach._

_ Yami and Tea looked at each other in surprise. Beaming, the brunette looked back to her friend. "Oh, that's wonderful!"_

_ Drearose giggled softly. Bakura leaned forward and placed his chin on her shoulder, snaking both arms around her still-slender abdomen. "Isn't it? We're going to have a mini thief—KNIGHT!" he cried quickly as his wife elbowed him again._

_ The rogue laughed impishly. Drearose rolled her eyes but smiled with deep affection. Tea chuckled at their antics. She then locked eyes with her husband, ice clashing with fire in a perfect moment of silent communication. They were both thinking the exact same thing. Finally, she gave words to their thoughts._

_ "It's not over…is it?" she asked with an eager smile._

_ Yami stared at her beautiful face for a long moment. Then, he glanced at the others in the room. Drearose's blushing giggle…Bakura's wry smirk…Liora's peaceful contentment…and he knew without a doubt. Just because they had come to the end of one quest…it did not mean that the grand adventure…that their exciting life…was over._

_ "No…" Yami finally murmured, a regal smile playing on his features. "…I would say…that our life has just begun."_

**The End! I hope you liked this story and please review :)! Thank you so much, everyone, for all your comments, compliments, advice, and for reading this story! I've had soooo much fun with it ^_^. My next multi-chapter story is Yami and Tea Edward Scissorhands and I have commitments after that too. In the meantime I'll do oneshots as usual. My next oneshot is going to be a Ryou x Serenity songfic. Also, for those who read pretty much every story I do (thank you so much, I feel truly honored :) I may be doing a few Kingdom Hearts oneshots but if you do not like KH or are not interested in reading KH fanfics, I do not at all expect you to read them haha ^_^. See ya next time!**

**I DO NOT OWN YUGIOH OR TANGLED**


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